1) I decided to ramp up my efforts to DJ special events and weddings. I have the equipment and the experience/tolerance for this and I could easily pull in close to $20Gs extra per year on top of my "real" job salary. I'm just too old for the club/bar shit and I was debating selling all my stuff. But this is looking good. I'm not trying to be materialistic here, but I have about $10Gs in credit card debt and $35Gs in student loan.
2) Worked hard eliminating things from my diet that has been causing my acid reflux, heartburn, cramps, bloating and gas. So I found out that I am lactose and gluten intolerance and cut almost all meat porducts out. Still eat a lot of fish and occasional other stuff. Been feeling great! And without beer, pasta, bread, cream, milk, cheese, fried food, cake, cookies...I dropped 10-15 pounds in the first few weeks. I've leveled off now. Also, I have had much more energy.
To do:
Start biking to work.
Stop reading the paper and watching the news. I'm believing ignorance on current events may be the key to happiness.
OK. I barely made it halfway down this thread and here's the third person talking about smoking (tobacco, I assume).
I am so freaking addicted. I was down in SC last week visiting moms. She's going through chemo for breast cancer and bald as a baby. She's doing great though. btw--That's why I shaved myself. She was stressed about losing her hair. I'm like who the fuck needs hair? Bzzzzt. She looks cool bald IMO. I digress. Anyways, she smoked for many years quit abut ten years ago. Family history is a big factor. Both her older sisters had breast cancer, but we can't rule out the impact of 20+ years of smoking. Anyways, I'm hanging out with her looking at her bald head talking about her experience with chemo while all the time jonesing like hell for a smoke.
this is madness.
i keep thinking i can casually do it. you know, bum when i'm drunk. next thing you know i got a pack and maybe finish half of it and then run water over the rest and toss them. that's right. otherwise, i'll dig them bitches out of the fucking garbage. sad.
ugh.
I don't know if you do or not, but do you exercise regularly?
During my longest non-smoking phase (3-4 months), I was very active. As a matter of fact, I started riding a bike damn near everywhere I went. It really helped curb the craving to light up.
Good luck, man.
Fukk a cigarette.
I exercise a lot. And that does help to reduce my use. I should be clear that I am a light smoker. Maybe 2 packs a week at the most. That includes the ones I throw away. I'm not sure why I'm so addicted, but I am.
And to make matters worse, a co-worker forwarded a longitudinal study to me last week that found that people who smoke and exercise are better off than those who don't smoke and don't exercise.
I'll admit it...I'm highly influenced by others. I wish all my friends would quit with me. I'm not blaming others, but if we all quit together that would be perfect.
I've posted on here many times about smoking. Makes me wonder how my innernets friends are doing with quitting?
1) I decided to ramp up my efforts to DJ special events and weddings. I have the equipment and the experience/tolerance for this and I could easily pull in close to $20Gs extra per year on top of my "real" job salary. I'm just too old for the club/bar shit and I was debating selling all my stuff. But this is looking good. I'm not trying to be materialistic here, but I have about $10Gs in credit card debt and $35Gs in student loan.
crazy, I am talking to a booking agent now also...doing Memphis Soul wedding DJing and vintage Memphis music events. Lots of conventions and music tourism round these parts. Folks come here for retro shit and whats in our past, so the "plays 45s" aspect is actually a selling point. Gonna have to stock up on "Wooly Bully", SUN shit, and the like though. Luckily I have boxes of the stuff at work so I have a huge library to borrow from and buy cheap from the bossman...use what ya got. I too , for reasons like yours, I have a shit ton of student loans and I wanna buy a house in the next couple years.
I'm doing okay. About 2 months back when I was with Peaceful Rotation and King Most we got all fucked up on tequila and I was smoking that night.
Other than that I've been good. Ocasionally I get the jones but it passes. It does, man. After a few minutes it's gone. And it's getting less and less frequent, and less intense.
You can do it, bro. It's just got to be your time, in your mind, to do it. And you got to say to yourself "The time has come." Most importantly, you got to want to do it.
1. love my daughter more 2. quit the internet hell of porn 3. stop dating the young ones 4. hate my baby's mom more(it helps) 5. dump money into my house 6. learn the MPC 60 7. graduate from Grad school finally
I haven't smoked in a month and change. Frank you just have to do it. You are stronger than that chemical. It is a willpower thing. In NYC they give you the patch for free. Do they do that in VA??
I have been smoking weed, exercising, doing anything to not do that. And I haven't slipped.
And I am gone off that rum right NOW, so I'm doing ok.
-Allowed myself one night a fortnight to drink, as opposed to doing it casually 5 or 6 nights a week. Its nice to know I don't need it, but I still miss coming home to scotch and jazz. It was my way to unwind.
-Girlie has moved away for 4 years, but surprisingly not only am I more focused on getting my own shit done, im more focused on where I want this relationship to go, shes a pretty cool chicka.
-Finally manned up and started actively pursueing musical opportunities (mostly theatre and short films so far) but the point is im getting my shit out there, and not being phased by the critics.
-Gave my current job notice, one of my bosses and I are going out on our own together doing real estate photography. Gonna be 7 days on 7 off, so good for the other things I want to get done. We've been running it at the weekends, and look to be making about a grand straight profit a week each (thats on top of wages).
-Started running, lifting weights and eating right. Lost 3 inches off my waist and about 9-10kg's.
about a month ago my friend and I decided to start hitting the gym pretty hard, sore as fuck but it's good. Need to drop the gut I developed over the years
I'm drinking more in preperation for the Tall Can Marathon I've decided to host, it's going to be awesome. Probably doesn't help the workout but it's worth it.
making the jump from half ass blogger to shitty as fuck hiphop journalist.
been talking to my pops more, which is good considering we didn't speak at all for some years.
- cut down on weed - started applying for jobs outside my local town - got a job in stockholm - moved to stockholm - bougt some posca pens and started painting again - did some major cleaning in the recordcollection before i moved
plans:
- finish my next 12" - eat healthier - make more beats - get another turntable - buy more breakbeatraerz - learn adobe illustrator - start playing keys more, maybe even get a personal teacher - explore stockholm
[ i will be sitting alone (on the floor) in my 4 cornered room staring at candles.
...yo, that shit is on?
realizing that a positive is hiding within a negative... The process of avoiding stepping up and recognizing what needs work in my life, (instead stubbornly focusing only on the good stuff) is a dangerous tactic that builds up tension and nervousness, which you then can take out on those you care about without even realizing it. Making big changes is very scary, and requires truly sorting out what exactly it is one wants and needs. But its crazy rewarding just seeing what needs work - accepting that it can and should be changed. the tide turns. suddenly you are back behind the wheel of your own life - problem solving as opposed to pretending there is no problem.
what is the highest technique you hope to achieve? to have no technique
what are your thoughts when facing an opponent? there is no opponent
and why is that? because the word "I" does not exist.
I haven't smoked in a month and change. Frank you just have to do it. You are stronger than that chemical. It is a willpower thing. In NYC they give you the patch for free. Do they do that in VA??
I have been smoking weed, exercising, doing anything to not do that. And I haven't slipped.
And I am gone off that rum right NOW, so I'm doing ok.
Hearing stories about people's success is what helps me. I'm less physically addicted to nicotine than psychologically addicted to smoking. I may have to stop DJing in bars because that's major cue for me. Man, I'd love a smoking ban like NY and CA etc. around here, but expect that to happen around 2099.
Hearing stories about people's success is what helps me. I'm less physically addicted to nicotine than psychologically addicted to smoking.
Yeah same here, I've come to rely on my cigarette breaks in my office routine to help me through the day. Also fag goes with pint like few other things.
On the addiction side I turn into a bit of an asshole when I go too long without a cigarette and have been waiting patiently for a non stressful period in my worklife where my nicotine withdrawal won't result in physical damage to company property.
1. Had a new baby son 2. Lost a LOT of weight (still losing) 3. Moved my blog to a cleaner, easier to manage and more dependable platform. Getting lots of good feedback (and traffic)
You know poeple want to see pictures. So don't make me ask--even though I pretty much just did.
Does anyone on here (with a few exceptions) have any idea what I looked like in the first place? I still have a way to go, but in the interest of limited disclosure, since 2/1 I've dropped 162lbs.
You know poeple want to see pictures. So don't make me ask--even though I pretty much just did.
Does anyone on here (with a few exceptions) have any idea what I looked like in the first place? I still have a way to go, but in the interest of limited disclosure, since 2/1 I've dropped 162lbs.
It's funny (not haha, more introspective irony), but even though I've been going through some tough realizations about myself, I know that they're all for the better. Trying to just be a better person with each day. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't... but at least I'm trying...
- after some rocky moments for me and the missus, we now realize just how much we love each other. We just sat down for a couple evenings and were real honest with ourselves, what we both wanted for ourselves and each other, and about our problems and what to do about them. Very tough nights and we both heard things about ourselves that we didn't want to, but it was necessary. It's not about being individuals, it's about being a team. Corny, I realize, but honest. Damn I love that lady...
- working out again. Damn, it's been so long. A few years ago I went hardcore and lost 45lbs. I stuck with it for a couple years and then got lazy due to going back to school, still working, a crazy possessive ex, and just plain laziness. Now, me and the missus (not the crazy possessive ex) have joined a gym and it feels good. Sore, but good. Tip: want to lose crazy weight? Sacrifice all your vices for at least six months and work out like crazy. Vices for me were smoking, booze, green, junk food, late nights. Do it and you'll see crazy results.
- I quit smoking a year ago this month (I had started again during that lazy again period). For me, it was a mental thing. You need to get over that hump. I sympathize with everyone that's trying to quit right now. Stay strong and remember that they're called 'cancer sticks' for a reason.
- green only on the weekends, when I'm staying in with missus for an evening to listen to records or watch a movie. Even when we do that, I'm not necessarily dabbling with the green.
- saving money, paying off the credit card debt, taking charge of my financial future more so than in the past, meeting with mortgage consultants, figuring out what me and the missus want
- spending time working on music more and actually getting excited about it again, rediscovering records I forgot I owned or developing an appreciation for records I overlooked, finally getting the max memory for my mpc (I just need to install it now), actively trying to play out more often again (God I would love to have Serato, but all in good time), and am looking to get own night going (Aser, get at me cuz we got to get back on this and I've got some things brewing)
- just learning to look at appreciate my family more. Trying to understand them and accept them for who they are. I've had a rocky relationship (to say the least) with my parents for pretty much my whole life and I realize the key is just acceptance. I'm getting together with my dad for lunch on a regular weekly basis, and just talking to him on an adult level and realizing that if I could be half the man he is, I accomplished something. Having coversations with my ma, and even though we are very opposite on many issues, she's still the only mother I have and she's the one that gave me my sense of humour, among other things. My parents have busted their asses for me and my sister, and even though they made some mistakes along the way, they did the best that they could and I love them for that. Oh and my sister, niece and nephew all rock, as per usual!
- making moves in my job life. Realizing that I need a move on and realizing that I want to go back to school to feel my brain grow and get a job that more reflects who I am, not this office management stuff...
Man, there's so much more but I just wanted to share this with you all. Reading everyone else's struggles, accomplishments, hopes and plans has made me go from feeling super tired this morning, to feeling super positive about life (I think the McCoy Tyner I'm playing right now is helping also). Thanks everyone! And for all those in the struggle, stay strong. Even though I don't post on Strut anywhere close to what I used to, it's thread's like this that keep me coming back. If you've got this far, thanks for reading my ramblings.
big step was finding a house/shell 9 blocks from where i grew up closing on it next month...gonna be a big renovation project. committed to green design/as off the grid as possible. lining up expertise and support.
work is an exercise in constant elevation. trying to have a stronger and stronger affect on the teens and coworkers with whom i work. feedback is always positive, but there's always room to improve and tighten up game. we won 2nd place in a citywide youthworks competetion.
getting the bball skills sharpened and terrorizing local courts. always fun.
200 pushups every other day. new to that but true to that.
props to all those quitting cigarettes!!! stand strong
You know poeple want to see pictures. So don't make me ask--even though I pretty much just did.
Does anyone on here (with a few exceptions) have any idea what I looked like in the first place? I still have a way to go, but in the interest of limited disclosure, since 2/1 I've dropped 162lbs.
LARRY! Goddamn, dude, I'm proud of you. That is flat-out incredible. And I bet your knees are feeling better, too.
Seriously...congratulations on the weight loss and baby gain.
For me, I haven't really made any recent changes. I made a lot of changes last year (namely diet and exercise), so now I just have to focus on maintaining those two, which isn't easy. It's its own reward, though.
You know poeple want to see pictures. So don't make me ask--even though I pretty much just did.
Does anyone on here (with a few exceptions) have any idea what I looked like in the first place? I still have a way to go, but in the interest of limited disclosure, since 2/1 I've dropped 162lbs.
LARRY! Goddamn, dude, I'm proud of you. That is flat-out incredible. And I bet your knees are feeling better, too.
Seriously...congratulations on the weight loss and baby gain.
For me, I haven't really made any recent changes. I made a lot of changes last year (namely diet and exercise), so now I just have to focus on maintaining those two, which isn't easy. It's its own reward, though.
Thanks Ross! The knees are much better (but my right knee will probably have to be worked on once I get down to where I want). I have a lot more stamina (I can't imagine dealing with a newborn and a toddler otherwise) and everything else that goes with losing that much weight.
Personal: aforementioned cigarette addiction = gone, working out more (still not enough), trying to drink less (and failing). Moved in with wifey and beyond happy. I live a few blocks from the store and feel a lot more connected.
Professional: man, the store has been open over a year now! The business has shown a profit a year or two ahead of the financial projections but it's still not where I want to be. It's just too slow in here. I have been kicking my own ass for slacking on my website development, finally just started banging through inventory and I've been pulling out too many records that I think I really overpriced/overgraded. I swear I have marked down half of the records I've gone through so far. At first I was mad at myself for making mistakes, but then I realized that's the only way you learn. I feel way more competent than I did a year ago and with more collections, more knowledge, online inventory and lower prices I'm ready to shift this thing into high gear.
Comments
1) I decided to ramp up my efforts to DJ special events and weddings. I have the equipment and the experience/tolerance for this and I could easily pull in close to $20Gs extra per year on top of my "real" job salary. I'm just too old for the club/bar shit and I was debating selling all my stuff. But this is looking good.
I'm not trying to be materialistic here, but I have about $10Gs in credit card debt and $35Gs in student loan.
2) Worked hard eliminating things from my diet that has been causing my acid reflux, heartburn, cramps, bloating and gas. So I found out that I am lactose and gluten intolerance and cut almost all meat porducts out. Still eat a lot of fish and occasional other stuff. Been feeling great! And without beer, pasta, bread, cream, milk, cheese, fried food, cake, cookies...I dropped 10-15 pounds in the first few weeks. I've leveled off now. Also, I have had much more energy.
To do:
Start biking to work.
Stop reading the paper and watching the news. I'm believing ignorance on current events may be the key to happiness.
I exercise a lot. And that does help to reduce my use. I should be clear that I am a light smoker. Maybe 2 packs a week at the most. That includes the ones I throw away. I'm not sure why I'm so addicted, but I am.
And to make matters worse, a co-worker forwarded a longitudinal study to me last week that found that people who smoke and exercise are better off than those who don't smoke and don't exercise.
I'll admit it...I'm highly influenced by others. I wish all my friends would quit with me. I'm not blaming others, but if we all quit together that would be perfect.
I've posted on here many times about smoking. Makes me wonder how my innernets friends are doing with quitting?
Day?
Jonny?
hi.
crazy, I am talking to a booking agent now also...doing Memphis Soul wedding DJing and vintage Memphis music events. Lots of conventions and music tourism round these parts. Folks come here for retro shit and whats in our past, so the "plays 45s" aspect is actually a selling point. Gonna have to stock up on "Wooly Bully", SUN shit, and the like though. Luckily I have boxes of the stuff at work so I have a huge library to borrow from and buy cheap from the bossman...use what ya got. I too , for reasons like yours, I have a shit ton of student loans and I wanna buy a house in the next couple years.
I smoked 5 yesterday. 0 today.
I'm doing okay. About 2 months back when I was with Peaceful Rotation and King Most we got all fucked up on tequila and I was smoking that night.
Other than that I've been good. Ocasionally I get the jones but it passes. It does, man. After a few minutes it's gone. And it's getting less and less frequent, and less intense.
You can do it, bro. It's just got to be your time, in your mind, to do it. And you got to say to yourself "The time has come." Most importantly, you got to want to do it.
2. quit the internet hell of porn
3. stop dating the young ones
4. hate my baby's mom more(it helps)
5. dump money into my house
6. learn the MPC 60
7. graduate from Grad school finally
I have been smoking weed, exercising, doing anything to not do that. And I haven't slipped.
And I am gone off that rum right NOW, so I'm doing ok.
-Allowed myself one night a fortnight to drink, as opposed to doing it casually 5 or 6 nights a week. Its nice to know I don't need it, but I still miss coming home to scotch and jazz. It was my way to unwind.
-Girlie has moved away for 4 years, but surprisingly not only am I more focused on getting my own shit done, im more focused on where I want this relationship to go, shes a pretty cool chicka.
-Finally manned up and started actively pursueing musical opportunities (mostly theatre and short films so far) but the point is im getting my shit out there, and not being phased by the critics.
-Gave my current job notice, one of my bosses and I are going out on our own together doing real estate photography. Gonna be 7 days on 7 off, so good for the other things I want to get done. We've been running it at the weekends, and look to be making about a grand straight profit a week each (thats on top of wages).
-Started running, lifting weights and eating right. Lost 3 inches off my waist and about 9-10kg's.
I'm drinking more in preperation for the Tall Can Marathon I've decided to host, it's going to be awesome. Probably doesn't help the workout but it's worth it.
making the jump from half ass blogger to shitty as fuck hiphop journalist.
been talking to my pops more, which is good considering we didn't speak at all for some years.
After work.....
Go home hit this....
Then here to pass out...
NO MORE OF THAT.
This is now....
After work.....
Go here...
Then home..
Hit this...
Then here...
Then here...
- started applying for jobs outside my local town
- got a job in stockholm
- moved to stockholm
- bougt some posca pens and started painting again
- did some major cleaning in the recordcollection before i moved
plans:
- finish my next 12"
- eat healthier
- make more beats
- get another turntable
- buy more breakbeatraerz
- learn adobe illustrator
- start playing keys more, maybe even get a personal teacher
- explore stockholm
realizing that a positive is hiding within a negative... The process of avoiding stepping up and recognizing what needs work in my life, (instead stubbornly focusing only on the good stuff) is a dangerous tactic that builds up tension and nervousness, which you then can take out on those you care about without even realizing it. Making big changes is very scary, and requires truly sorting out what exactly it is one wants and needs. But its crazy rewarding just seeing what needs work - accepting that it can and should be changed. the tide turns. suddenly you are back behind the wheel of your own life - problem solving as opposed to pretending there is no problem.
Hearing stories about people's success is what helps me. I'm less physically addicted to nicotine than psychologically addicted to smoking. I may have to stop DJing in bars because that's major cue for me. Man, I'd love a smoking ban like NY and CA etc. around here, but expect that to happen around 2099.
2. New clothes (grown up shit)
3. New haircut (donated the mane)
It's a start, real world moves son!
Yeah same here, I've come to rely on my cigarette breaks in my office routine to help me through the day. Also fag goes with pint like few other things.
On the addiction side I turn into a bit of an asshole when I go too long without a cigarette and have been waiting patiently for a non stressful period in my worklife where my nicotine withdrawal won't result in physical damage to company property.
2. Lost a LOT of weight (still losing)
3. Moved my blog to a cleaner, easier to manage and more dependable platform. Getting lots of good feedback (and traffic)
You know poeple want to see pictures. So don't make me ask--even though I pretty much just did.
you might have to take that one to your grave
damm
if i lost 10-15 pounds u wouldn't be able to tell
but fatback.......
adam will be kicking sand in your face @ the beach
yeah. i'm skinny. i'd actually like to gain weight, but i only gain in my love handles. that 15lbs was all trunk weight.
Does anyone on here (with a few exceptions) have any idea what I looked like in the first place? I still have a way to go, but in the interest of limited disclosure, since 2/1 I've dropped 162lbs.
Yep, Amen to that.
I think I'll have to add "Don't take work stress home to the missus" to my list of things to do.
- after some rocky moments for me and the missus, we now realize just how much we love each other. We just sat down for a couple evenings and were real honest with ourselves, what we both wanted for ourselves and each other, and about our problems and what to do about them. Very tough nights and we both heard things about ourselves that we didn't want to, but it was necessary. It's not about being individuals, it's about being a team. Corny, I realize, but honest. Damn I love that lady...
- working out again. Damn, it's been so long. A few years ago I went hardcore and lost 45lbs. I stuck with it for a couple years and then got lazy due to going back to school, still working, a crazy possessive ex, and just plain laziness. Now, me and the missus (not the crazy possessive ex) have joined a gym and it feels good. Sore, but good. Tip: want to lose crazy weight? Sacrifice all your vices for at least six months and work out like crazy. Vices for me were smoking, booze, green, junk food, late nights. Do it and you'll see crazy results.
- I quit smoking a year ago this month (I had started again during that lazy again period). For me, it was a mental thing. You need to get over that hump. I sympathize with everyone that's trying to quit right now. Stay strong and remember that they're called 'cancer sticks' for a reason.
- green only on the weekends, when I'm staying in with missus for an evening to listen to records or watch a movie. Even when we do that, I'm not necessarily dabbling with the green.
- saving money, paying off the credit card debt, taking charge of my financial future more so than in the past, meeting with mortgage consultants, figuring out what me and the missus want
- spending time working on music more and actually getting excited about it again, rediscovering records I forgot I owned or developing an appreciation for records I overlooked, finally getting the max memory for my mpc (I just need to install it now), actively trying to play out more often again (God I would love to have Serato, but all in good time), and am looking to get own night going (Aser, get at me cuz we got to get back on this and I've got some things brewing)
- just learning to look at appreciate my family more. Trying to understand them and accept them for who they are. I've had a rocky relationship (to say the least) with my parents for pretty much my whole life and I realize the key is just acceptance. I'm getting together with my dad for lunch on a regular weekly basis, and just talking to him on an adult level and realizing that if I could be half the man he is, I accomplished something. Having coversations with my ma, and even though we are very opposite on many issues, she's still the only mother I have and she's the one that gave me my sense of humour, among other things. My parents have busted their asses for me and my sister, and even though they made some mistakes along the way, they did the best that they could and I love them for that. Oh and my sister, niece and nephew all rock, as per usual!
- making moves in my job life. Realizing that I need a move on and realizing that I want to go back to school to feel my brain grow and get a job that more reflects who I am, not this office management stuff...
Man, there's so much more but I just wanted to share this with you all. Reading everyone else's struggles, accomplishments, hopes and plans has made me go from feeling super tired this morning, to feeling super positive about life (I think the McCoy Tyner I'm playing right now is helping also). Thanks everyone! And for all those in the struggle, stay strong. Even though I don't post on Strut anywhere close to what I used to, it's thread's like this that keep me coming back. If you've got this far, thanks for reading my ramblings.
sah-bah-dah-bah-dah check your pm's
closing on it next month...gonna be a big renovation project. committed to green design/as off the grid as possible. lining up expertise and support.
work is an exercise in constant elevation. trying to have a stronger and stronger affect on the teens and coworkers with whom i work. feedback is always positive, but there's always room to improve and tighten up game. we won 2nd place in a citywide youthworks competetion.
getting the bball skills sharpened and terrorizing local courts. always fun.
200 pushups every other day. new to that but true to that.
props to all those quitting cigarettes!!! stand strong
LARRY! Goddamn, dude, I'm proud of you. That is flat-out incredible. And I bet your knees are feeling better, too.
Seriously...congratulations on the weight loss and baby gain.
For me, I haven't really made any recent changes. I made a lot of changes last year (namely diet and exercise), so now I just have to focus on maintaining those two, which isn't easy. It's its own reward, though.
Thanks Ross! The knees are much better (but my right knee will probably have to be worked on once I get down to where I want). I have a lot more stamina (I can't imagine dealing with a newborn and a toddler otherwise) and everything else that goes with losing that much weight.
Professional: man, the store has been open over a year now! The business has shown a profit a year or two ahead of the financial projections but it's still not where I want to be. It's just too slow in here. I have been kicking my own ass for slacking on my website development, finally just started banging through inventory and I've been pulling out too many records that I think I really overpriced/overgraded. I swear I have marked down half of the records I've gone through so far. At first I was mad at myself for making mistakes, but then I realized that's the only way you learn. I feel way more competent than I did a year ago and with more collections, more knowledge, online inventory and lower prices I'm ready to shift this thing into high gear.