8/31/2026 Annoyances

            Because of the small quarters I live in, I eat off a tray stand. These are used, I got them from a neighbor. I Had to glue a couple dowels back in place, but otherwise they're in good shape. Made of birch a hardwood. So,  this week I touched the table after I cleaned it. It was tacky after the cleaning which I clean everyday. So I tried nail polish remover which has acetone in it. Buy the nail remover,  way cheaper than pure acetone sold in Home Depot.  I put a little on the paper towel and start wiping. It works good. I fold the towel and dab more on the paper towel. I can see the paper picking up the dirt. Real good. But it also removes a little of the finish. In my case that is acceptable. I am pleased with the result and no more tackiness. There was a nail polish stain on the formica countertop. Which is a guess. I tried reg cleaning spray. It didn't touch it. Tried peroxide, no good. Tried nail polish remover, no good. So I poured a little on the stain and cut a piece of plastic film and placed it over it. Then I put the cleaning bottle on top of it. Over a couple days, the stain faded by 95 %. Still have a little more work to do on it.

          Month ago,  I'm in a thrift store and see a shirt in the mens section. It is blue with black outlines of leaves. I have others sorta like it. I buy it. Yesterday I try it on.  A couple days ago I was telling my wife about a skit on the Office. Micheal the boss shows up to work for a meeting. One of the employees says why are you wearing a women's suit. He got it from a thrift store and it's not a woman's suit. Tried to convince everyone. Funny.  Yep, I put on the shirt and it's a woman's shirt. I've done this in the past a couple times. Women's shirts the buttons go on left side right on man's, when wearing it. Also the cut is more narrow especially in the arms. So in a short period of time I was predicting the my future without even knowing it. 

           I ordered some rear brake shoes on line for my car. I put in my shipping address. Made the payment. Usually they come quick but not this time. Mistake: I didn't check my mail. So it wound up going to my old home address. I tried to rectify it by contacting them online but they don't answer my query satisfactorily. No phone number either. So,  I re,-ordered them. This time checking the right box for shipping. So I paid twice. Chance of getting a refund, not so great. Didn't get the brake shoes yet. So, when ordering on-line make sure the shipping address is correct before giving the payment. Usually in my prior orders I don't have a problem with this.

           I've been sleeping on an air mattress since early February. Bought the 57 dollar one. A couple days ago it started to deflate a little when sleeping on it. I try to find the leak, to no avail. The pump built in to it also started to do a weird noise. Instead of a constant noise, it would go steady noise then a lull steady noise lull. But it would blow it up 95,%. Then slowly leak out 4 hrs when laying on it. The big mistake  was not getting the insurance on it. Got a cheaper mattress at Wallmart and got the insurance on the pump and mattress. Insurance was 4 dollars for both.

           So, in life there is always problems. Some funny once in awhile and others not. You perceiver. And hopefully become smarter.

8/24/2926 Diet ll and Other Stuff as Well

            Adjusted my dumbell bell routine. Now, I do 35 curls up from 30 each arm with the 25 pounder. It's really 26.3 do to the added weight of the handle. Then I lift the weight over my head with locked elbow for a count of 50 went up from 40. Each arm. Then I do it again. The last one is just with the curls. For a total all together 3 sets. 2 sets in the weight lifted over my head.  Sometimes I use the other hand to help lower the weight. This you do slowly. Only do the weight you feel comfortable with.  Even if it's only a couple of pounds. When my right shoulder hurt I stopped for a week lifting. Then started up slowly with lesser weight. Now, I'm back up to par. I also do 45 push ups against the sink, twice a day.

           After 8 weeks I lost 18 pounds. 242 to 224. That's more than 2 pounds a week. I plateaued at 230 for a week as well as at 228. Then last week at 224. So I used to eat the blueberry pop tart every day at the 230 wt mark, I switched it up. Now, every other day. 

             For lunch I can do 5 heaping teaspoons of cottage cheese with blackberry jam well mixed up so it has a purplish color. Or if I'm out I do a Taco Bell chicken stacker 2.99. I was doing a  Mc Chicken $1.50 at Mc Donald's. Looked it up online and it turns out the chicken stacker is at 450 calories and the Mc Chicken is at 400 calories. So I'm back to the stacker.

             I got a silicone sink strainer. Way easier to clean then that metal one. I love that thing. 1.50 at the Dollar tree. To clean it out I cut a paper towel in half and just scoop it out. Works great. Last Sunday I let myself have one Nestle Crunch bar from the vending machine. I do it every Sunday, but last Sunday I swipe my card it registers the right amount. The bar falls. Take it out peel the wrapper and I hear a thud look in the machine a second bar falls. I fish it out.  Never ever happened before in my life a unicorn. I put that bad boy in the freezer for next Sunday! Thank+you DS. In case it was you.

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             For the car I have to do the timing belt and water pump at the same time. I've owned about 20 trucks and cars so far. Never did a timing belt on one of them. But the car has 208,000 miles on it. Suppose to change it at 90,000 miles. If it breaks the motor is done for. Don't want that. Also need the rear brakes done as well.

               Next up will be diet lll

8/21/2026 Do the. Work

            Going back to the time where DS tipped me off about the dark chocolate bar. I asked what was causing my migraines. Next day gal wearing a hoodie with giant picture of a Hershey bar. I knew that was it's answer. I followed through and cut it out. Result no more headaches. Very greatful.

            So, that gal getting dressed that morning is deciding what to wear that day. Many items to choose from. I believe that DS helped her make that decision. It had a mission to fulfill. She probably didn't even know that she was influenced by it. But she was. This is how DS can move  the levers that make things happen. It took me to make that request of DS. It was not going to set things in motion until I asked. That is how it works. By working with DS it can help you as well. Pick one thing a week ask your question. Then pay attention to the answer. It will come. From somebody, a book, a tv show, a joke or dream. You have to think about what you are seeing or hearing. If you feel you missed the answer, ask it again after a week. And keep writing in your journals. Work with DS all the time. It is there to help and aid you during your life. Focus on you not others. If you have a family you focus on them of course. But keep that connection with DS. It's the most important tool in your spiritual tool box.

          It is my hope that my readers are able to see by now,  that this force is real. And that you are using it on a consistent basis. When DS helps you always give thanks. DS can help even if you think all is lost. It knows how to get you to your desired end.

           Sometimes it takes time. Like with me now. My living arrangements have changed since 8 mos ago. I'm not that happy about it. The message I got was just chill and that's what I have been doing. So something is going on. As of yet I don't see it. But the answer will come.

8/14/2026. Diet Lesson

           Breakfast time.  So the Doc says I'm pre- diabetic. Initially when I got stopped in a neighboring town by 2 cops. For a bad plate. One of them told me are you diabetic, I told him no. Now, I have to do something about it. Went to the doc and she said I'm pre- diabetic. I was over weight already. Then I put on some more weight, these last 10 months. I am 40 to 50 pounds overweight. I cut way down on the ice cream , cookies and candy bars. During this time I found at Wallmart these cookies that are by Vortman. 4 bucks. Fudge brownie chocolate chip  zero sugar is my go to now. They make other flavors as well. I eat 1 of these per day. My ice cream sandwiches are done but I saw at wallmart they make a sugar free sandwich bar so I got that. Not as good as a real bar. I used to get Neapolitan bars which were real good. But this will have to suffice. My snack pack chocolate puddings I replaced with sugar free as well. So after dinner I eat 1 pudding and 1 cookie. Or 1 cookie and 1 ice cream bar. Edit: I cut out the ice cream bar as of 2 months ago. Start of diet I was at 242.

           Today marks 6 weeks of the diet. I am now at 225 pounds. So I lost 17 pounds so far. When I started, I cut back on the food amt. Smaller portions of meat. One slice of bread a day. Also stopped buying peanut butter. Which I ate everyday for decades.  Now I drink one soda per week. I Got down to 230 pounds. Then I  plateaued there.

          So, to get started. I got a knife from Wallmart. I got it with the orange handle. It's a 3 1/4in blade. Opens from the side and locks in place. I use it for a lot of things. I sharpen it on Sundays. I also use it during meals. I have a teaspoon,fork and my lock blade. Also I have a metal knife that is about 3/4 in wide. It has a rounded tip and a serrated side for cutting bread. I used to have a plastic spatula but I switched it out for 2 silicone ones. One is wide and the other is less wide. I did this to cut down on exposure to plastics, namely micro plastics. I kept 1  plastic one with slits in it because I haven't seen them in silicone as of yet. Recently at the Dollar Tree I saw bamboo hardwood cutting boards for 1.25 I bought 4 of them. They are 7in x 10 inches. I kept the small cutting board in plastic for other things just in case. But for cutting down I use the bamboo. I've seen them in stores and a bigger board is 20 dollars. My plate is small 8 in. diameter. My bowl is 6 in diameter and 3 in deep. I have a coffee cup that holds 2 cups.  I take a sleeve of decaf coffee everyday. I add 1/2 teaspoon of sugar and  2 teaspoons of half & half. My pans are teflon 10in dia and an 11 in a copper looking inside one. I use the former for meat and frying potatoes. The latter is for my egg. After I eat I clean up the dishes.

              I used to eat a blueberry pop tart no icing, everyday. Did this for years. Recently I switched to every other day. I toast them careful not to burn them. So as I lose weight , I look to see how I can adjust my diet.    For breakfast I do cereal, I use a corn or rice checks which has 290mg of salt. I will be getting rid of the rice checks due to this higher salt content  I fill a small bowl halfway then I use a raisen bran cereal  or almond cereal at Wallmart for less than 3 bucks.  Wheat checks I put in, no sugar on the checks. This cereal has way less salt and no sugar. I use to do a full bowl then 6 weeks ago I went to 3/4 full bowl for a month and recently I cut it to a 1/2 bowl  of dry cereal. I spill  2 tablespoons of Wallmart frozen blueberries on top. Then 3 slices of no sugar added peach slices from Wallmart.  Then I cut them up smaller with my 3 in folding knife. I sharpen it twice a week. Then I cut up half a banana. I cut off the stem then make narrow slices through the skin but not all the way through the skin. I hold one end over bowl and push out a disk of banana with my knife then in cereal I slice the disk in half. Then I add 1 % or 2 % milk to the mix.  Then I add pecan pieces,dates, small bag from Wallmart. The second day breakfast is one extra large or jumbo egg. I cook 1 slice of beef bacon in pan ,careful not to burn it. My pan for the bacon is a Teflon pan, about 10 dollars from Wallmart. Toss the pan out after a year or so. And get another one. I don't trust the Teflon. Use only a silicone spatula on it With bacon I add 3 mini or 4 if real small potatoes. They are sold as mini potatoes at Wallmart. I slice narrow pieces and put them in the pan. As bacon cooks I use half a paper towel to mop up excess grease.  I brown the potato then flip the disks with my knife.  I put 5 snap peas in the egg. I cut them in 4 pieces . Then same with  the jalapeno pepper, a small amt. A little Cole slaw and cut up 1 small slice of portabella mushrooms. I get them from Walmart, they last longer than those smaller mushrooms. They  are 2 large mushrooms per package. I got a 3/4 slice of mushroom then chop 1/4 in pieces. I also cut up into small pieces cauliflower.  I Add a little half and half some water and a heaping tablespoon of corn starch. I put this into my copper looking pan. This pan doesn't cook the bacon the way I like it so I use the 2 pans. I like my bacon well done but not burnt. I do 1 slice of bacon. Brown the small potatoes with the bacon in the Teflon pan. I use hot sauce on my plate with ketchup. Put potatoes down first then egg on top with more ketchup on top. Eating the bacon I just nibble off small pieces with my front teeth. That's it for breakfast. Next blog will be about lunch.

8/10/2026. The Diet

           Started 6 weeks ago. Cut my portion sizes  down. After 6 weeks went from 242 doctor's scale, to now 230. Me 5ft 10. Went to 229 but I stopped at a Pretzel Stop fast food joint. No prices on food at the drive through. Pictures of food though. The surprise comes when they ring you up. 11 bucks. I'm used to paying around 4 bucks at a fast food joint. I usually go to a Taco Bell. In US they pulled the Taylor Farm lettuce from Mexico. Due to salmonella. So, I had a reg size pretzel dog and a bag of pretzel bites no salt. It was a good size bag. I thought the bag would be way smaller. I had a couple bites and the dog. Next day I saw,  I went from 229 to 230. Yep , that one  day was a reverse diet. You do this 12 days in a row and I'm back up to 242.  Not happening.

          Last week I cut out the 1 pop tart. But I still plateaued at 230 all week. Last night for dinner I had a handful of cherries and a handful of grapes and 4 tablespoons of cottage cheese with a heaping teaspoon of grape jelly mixed up. Never did this for dinner. I got an analog scale from Wallmart (10 bucks) last week. Stepped on scale this morning  228. Yeah. More cottage cheese for me. I eat 3 times a day. For a snack I'll do a 1 yogurt or banana. 

         My goal weight is 199. Because I haven't hit that number since I was  23. Long time ago. By cutting my portions a little more 6 weeks ago, I find that it is reducing my stomach. It has gotten used to the smaller amount.  I don't get hunger pains. I'm motivated by the declining numbers on the scale.

8/9/2026 What You Say & Think

           Of others, is a reflection on you. For real growth in your life, you start here. Correcting behaviors is what we're about. It is very hard work. We don't like to look at ourselves. Well, on the spiritual path, this is what you do. And I'll tell you something, it is Not pleasant. What you see in others or say to others is a self own. In some way you are addressing something that is lacking in you. Am I guilty. You betcha. This can be very subtle.  It goes under the radar. You can work on this by looking at the last fight you had with someone. Look for that which you accused someone of, for that trait that is within you. And it most certainly is.

          I told this story before. A woman and me at kitchen table. She was telling me how her fiance  was nice but he was a cheapskate.  I said so are you.  She was shocked. She said she donates all the time.  I said it is not tit for tat. You are stingy with your love that you show  him.  She said nothing. I could see she was processing that statement. Whether it worked for her relationship, I have no idea. To make it stick you have to write it down and read it everyday. Then incorporate it into your life.  It's work,   but you're showing the higher power that you are making strides.  And he does watch you. He knows you inside and out. The spiritual path is what you're suppose to be on. It helps you most of all and others as well. You put out love and kindness, and guess what you get that back 10 fold, if you look for it. Then when you recognize it you give thanks. 

                This blog is the most important of all of them, that I have written.

7/30/2026. Stupid Is...as Stupid Does

           My car  I got off my wife a year and a half ago. Her grandson was using it. It had damage on trunk and front bumper and hood. I fixed the head lamp and rear tail light as well as the exhaust pipe brackets. I fixed other things under the hood as parts failed. The car had 200,000 mi on it. I decided to keep it because the motor and transmission were ok I believed. The engine light was always on. Took it to Advance Auto. It was the purge valve. I thought that was in the motor. This is where I made a big mistake. I should've looked it up on my phone first. Didn't do that. Went to the service station and he put one in for 250 dollars. The light went out but came back on the next day. Take it back, this time he said it's the gas cap. Can't use an after market gas cap. So I go to Hyundai and get the last cap they have for 25 dollars. The light still stays on. Go back to the service station, they didn't have an answer. I was going to have to leave it. But my life sped up and I had to put it on hold. Plus I didn't trust them as much. Couldn't get it registered in my name because it had to pass emissions first. So I drove it with a bad plate. Got caught tree times. One ticket. The other cops let me slide. Each cop snuck up on me. After that I kept an eye out constantly and didn't get stopped.

          Every once in awhile, I would try to talk to service stations about my problem. It would be 200 dollars just  for a diagnosis. No way I was paying that. So  I would say to them, what if I put 1000 dollars into it and it still failed. They say well it would cost even more money. So none of the service stations would give me a price. In my mind I was not going to give up til I had my plate. And I was not going to put a lot of money into it as well. I looked into getting it inspected in a county that didn't have the emission requirement. Spent a couple months fiddling around with that. Couldn't make it work. Back to square one. I had more time to try and find a better mechanic. Finally found a guy. I let him inspect it. He says it's the purge valve. And the alternator is putting out too much voltage. Fails on those two things. He fixed the engine light by swapping out the led bulb with another bulb that was working another light function that I didn't need. Back to the alternator, I had my first mechanic put in a new alternator 10 months ago. There is a warranty. I found out what auto parts store he used. I call them up. They don't have the part. Two days to have it transfered from another store. Give him my mechanic's name.  Make the appointment with the mechanic. On way there I stop and buy oil for car at Dollar General. 5.59 per quart, cheaper than the auto parts store. Like 3.00. per quart. Go to auto parts store for filter. At a Jiffy lube It would be 80 dollars.. ten years ago for my pickup it was $25.00 to have someone change the oil. So I get to the mechanics, he's an hr and a half late. Have him change the oil as well as swap out the alternator. Hour later he's done. Cost me $125. The alternator is free but I had to repay the labor cost. So I got the oil changed in that cost. So I had a new purge valve and a new alternator put in and they both failed. Unbelievable!

           Now I'm good with the alternator, he shows me on meter I'm under 15 volts. Wish I knew this earlier. But now you know to make sure to see for yourself that your under 15 volts with your new alternator. I look in the phone about the purge valve. My new mechanic would charge a little over a hundred. I see in the Internet where that valve is, not in the motor but behind it. I look at discount auto parts on the web.  I get one shipped out for 29 dollars. OEM part is what you want. I checked at Advance Auto, they wanted 75 dollars. I use online part sellers as well as the auto part stores. Like for the alternator it is going to be an auto parts store. I put the purge valve in myself and it takes 30 minutes. That first service guy charged me 250f dollars. Got ripped off and it didn't work anyways.

          Back to my new mechanic for the ,2 tests on the car. I saw yesterday that the check engine light was on again. I told the mechanic. He went out to check on car and said light was out. Great I say. Half hour later the car passes. Man I was so happy. I high fived the mechanic. Finally got my plates. A week later that damn check engine light comes on again and has stayed on. Doesn't matter now though. So I was thinking that DS had a hand in getting me through the emission test. The more I think on it the more I believe it. My plates are good for 2 years before it has to get inspected again. Thank-you DS. This was a struggle. I just focused on getting this done and not having to pay a whole lot of money for. Same no matter what is going on in your life. FOCUS on your desired outcome and take action. I was going to get it done no matter how long it was going to take. Now, my car has 208,000 miles on it. Here's a tip as your car gets older get oil changed every 3,000 mi.