1-1/2 lbs down

 It's Monday and time for the Monday weigh-in. And I'm 1-1/2 lbs down. I've switched back over to avoiding sugar and carbs, and the idea is to lose maybe 1/2 lb a week, to lose the amount of weight I want to lose in a year. This is assuming things are nice and linear, which of course they'll not be. Plus I'll want to work exercise back in; I mean more exercise than I get from just doing my job and daily activities. 

I'd packed things last night so only packed a few more today, and went to the post office and FedEx as usual. There were only a few drops of rain. I didn't pick up anything for shipping, and had checked the recycle bin at Sprouts for bubble mailers while going in there for a bottle of olive oil, but nothing. 

But my reward was to come. I had a bunch of boxes of chemicals and stuff that Ken had sitting around here for years, and the stuff was less than useless. So I'd put them out by Galli Produce along with other stuff I'd found, for the scroungers to have at. 

They'd long taken what they wanted by now, and since I'd put the stuff there it was my responsibility. So I went over to the dumpster by the imported foods place to check for room. Lo and behold it was full of candy bars; Cadburys and Toblerones and such things. So I loaded up the tub on my trailer and when I was close to done, a homeless guy on a bike with a trailer pulled up and wanted to see what's up. 

Now that I think about it, I'm convinced the guy was "Cowboy", who used to have an SUV but that was years ago and now he's skinnier and on a bike. I told him Candy bars and bottles of no, not wine, but oil. I finished up a good load and took it back here. It's got to be a good 30 lbs. I went back and got a few more candy bars, and Cowboy had gotten what he wanted, too. 

I then took, in two loads, the chemicals and stuff and put them into the dumpster and shut the lid. 30 lbs of imported candy bars isn't a bad reward for my work, even though of course I won't eat any of them, but will sort them out and let's just say the Little Free Libraries are going to have some sweet treats for a while. And I also got some bottles of oil, walnut and "truffle" so that's kind of nice considering my bottle of olive oil, same size, had just cost me $12. 

 

Slow, muggy, Sunday

 I took another large thing apart last night, and left the parts out front. Since busking counts for practice, I didn't have practice to worry about, and went to bed. 

When  I woke up, the parts I'd left were all gone, and the ones from the thing before that. So the crackhead(s) is back on the prowl for scrap metal, which saves me some work. 

The plan was to play in Sunnyvale today, and I left here around 5. By the time I got to Sunnyvale and I'd started, it was 7. And I'd taken the train, too. So no matter how I do it, it's 2 hours between Sunnyvale and here. (It's 3 hours each way between here and Santa Cruz.) 

The first hour went OK, and I made $35. The plan was to play from 7:00 to 8:30 but at 8 things just ... died. The weather was warm and muggy and felt like there was a big lid over everything. My final tip came from an old couple; He said he used to play cornet, and has a bunch of mouthpieces still, and She put $2 in the box and we talked a bunch about how "underground" jazz has become these days. They'd have happily talked all night too. I ended up blowing some low notes than a pedal tone or two and it was, She: We'd better get going!

I called it quits at a few minutes after 8 and got onto the 8:30 train back to San Jose and once back at the Whole Foods there I set up to busk some more. The late-night people are generous, I reasoned to myself. 

I got to do more work on new songs but in the 45 minutes or so, I only made another $2, it was that dead. At least I worked more on "Summertime" and "My Favorite Things" and since I read the Wikipedia on the movie "Blue Velvet" I'm starting to work on that one too. 

The ride home was very peaceful, and I noted that in the houses, almost all had no lights on because in San Jose, 10 at night is the equivalent of 1 in the morning anywhere else. Most people will have gone to bed at 9. 

All in all, my busking income amounted to $96 for the weekend, and that was only playing two days. And even after putting $20 on my clipper card and buying a bag of macadamia nuts at Whole Foods, I've got $66 in my pocket. 

A busy Friday

 But aren't they always? 

I slept in too late to go to Sunnyvale to busk, and didn't really feel up to it anyway. 

Last night I took a big oscilloscope apart and put the parts out front, and then did a practice session, and eventually went to bed. 

I woke up, had nothing small to add to the small things I'd already packed, so I took off a half-hour early and dropped the things off at the post office, then went up to Dai Thanh market for some things, H Mart, and picked up packing stuff on the rest of the way home. 

No one had picked up the oscilloscope parts, not any of them, which was surprising. So once I got back and gave out feedback and relaxed a bit, I loaded up the parts and took them over to the area by the bridge, to have 'em far away from here. I was going to put some other stuff there too, but a zombess started squawking in my direction about something. 

With zombies it's hard to tell if they're squawking because they're happy or angry or just hungry for brainnnnnnns. After dropping off the parts I rode up the street to where I could cross and headed back, and when I passed the bridge the zombess was still squawking. So I wasn't going to go back and the other things will just have to wait. 

I went through the boxes of circuit boards and a couple of other places and found a dozen old things that will never sell or have actually dropped off of Ebay's system, and along with other bits and pieces from getting 20 things ready to list, I had another junk box full. I've put that out and it will be interesting to see if anyone takes it. 

And ... no one took it other than 3 old Samsung tablets haha. I'll have to get rid of the stuff later. 

I left here too late to consider going to Sunnyvale, so I went to the Whole Foods on The Alameda. It was actually nice weather, not too hot. 

There was a Gypsy woman with a drugged-up kid or two, on the other side of the entrance and a big cardboard sign, SINGLE MOTHER yadda yadda. And No Feet was there in his wheelchair, hustling hard for his vodka. 

I set up much closer to the actual entrance to Whole Foods and started at 7:30, with the result that I made a whole dollar while No Feet hustled the hell out of people and seemed to get both a lot of "drops" and some pretty big ones. I moved a bit closer to where he was to be more visible, in an attempt to make more than a dollar, without any result. After almost an hour, the "lovely" Stella came to collect No Feet and wheeled him off. 

Now I was able to move over by the bike racks, and it was still a bit slow, but other than the Gypsy woman who was quiet and only periodically left her spot and came back, probably for bathroom breaks and to top up the drugs the kid was doped up with, I had the place to my own. 

I noticed a guy's bike basket was decorated with a couple of really neat hawk or owl feathers, and when the guy came back out we talked about the feathers and where they were found, etc. He was down from Menlo Park and I gave him some good tips regarding transit, and just before leaving he said "Here's something for you" and I got a $20. Cool. 

Now I felt a bit better and decided I'd just chug along until 9:30 and see how it goes. I was able to work on a couple of good busking standbys, "Summertime" and "My Favorite Things" and while it felt slow, I eventually made $59 for this session. That actually works out to just under $30 an hour and with zero transit costs since I'd just come on my bike. 

When I was done I went into Whole Foods and put $20 on my clipper card so tomorrow I can take the train to Sunnyvale if I feel like it. 

The guy at the Whole Foods help desk where I was putting the money on my card and I talked for a bit. He asked how it was, and I said it was slow, mainly because for the first hour I'd had to compete with No Feet.  He really hustles hard, we agreed. And yes, he said, he comes in and the only thing he ever buys is a bottle of vodka. And the Gypsy woman is there quite a bit too. 

Honestly, this Whole Foods is in an interesting part of town in that it's a nice looking area, but there are bum camps all along the river, which is not far away. And there are really sketchy areas just a street or two away. In fact, that I decided to, and accomplished, holding out until 9:30, I noticed some guy with a one of those sit-down scooter things - usually pretty bulky - and had this festooned with flags and junk and was probably going to do some begging, but decided against it since I was there. He'll make more up the street at the late-night liquor store or outside San Pedro Square which is walled off and restricted entry, but has tons of people milling around outside... 

It's funny, I've been able to do my thing without spending much in Whole Foods these days. That's the funny thing about the "keto" diet, in that it sounds more expensive but it's generally cheaper. If I weren't going back on the "keto" plan I could at least get no-alcohol beer, which has some taste varieties these days. 

The only "keto" alcoholic drinks are things like vodka, whisky, etc. Gin is iffy. The thing to avoid is mid-priced gin because that will be full of sugar. Cheap gin won't have much sugar if any because sugar's a cost, and expensive gin like Tanqueray or Bombay won't have much sugar because sugar in gin is gross. Years ago my go-to was this really cheap gin called Essex and diet tonic water. Probably the ultimate "keto" alcohol is vodka because no one ever puts any sugar in any vodka, and you don't have the strong, often smoky, flavor/aroma of drinks like whisky and it doesn't need a mixer like gin does. I've both lost weight on vodka, and maintained weight loss on vodka. It all comes down to how much sugar/carbs your letting into your diet. 

 

Might as well call him "Wimpy"

 Ken came by last night and I got my check, but of course to only deposit on TOOOOOOOOsday. For a hamburger, today. (Actually he did bring me a hamburger, as he's always afraid as any American would care about another, that I haven't eaten beef at least once that day.) 

At least his latest hinky reverse-mortgage scheme seems to be proceeding. The appraiser came out and too photos, and now it's just a matter of their lowballing Ken on his house and cutting him a check or however it works out, and then his financial problems should be held at bay for another year or so, and since my plan is to be out of here in 14 months, it will work out fine for me. 

When Ken was gone I photo'd 20 things and listed 10 of them. It seems I can't list more than 10 at a time, it's just too much work along with all the other things I have to do. 

I woke up around 3:30 maybe closer to 4, had my breakfast etc., and packed this one big thing that I'd collected a special box, from some kind of baby buggy or something, for it yesterday. The thing is not only large but made of glass and the last one like I shipped, broke. So I'm being extra careful this time. 

 

Monday was Monday

 And not much to write about. I shipped some things off, bought things to stock up like beef and pork which I portioned out and put in the freezer, and other such boring things. I also packed some big things to ship today. 

Today I woke up at almost 3, which was OK because I got out of here at almost 4. I dropped off trash at this one trash can  I use, dropped off donations at the little free library in Japantown, dropped off packages at the post office, and went to the bank and deposited my latest pay check - the one I'd been given last week. And the math all comes out perfect so nothing's bounced. 

Then I went down to Walmart for a bunch of things, and rode back here. I put the things away, put some much-needed air in the bike trailer tires, and loaded up the big things. Those went to FedEx, and I got eggs and Kewpie mayo at H Mart, and came back here. 

 

Well, maybe a bit of busking

 Yesterday I not only listed the 20 things I had photographed, having fixed the picture posting problem, but I also gave myself a haircut, started a load of laundry, and took a big high voltage power supply apart and got 20 more things ready to list. As in, all cleaned, labeled, etc., so I only have to photo them and list them. 

I even got some practice in. 

I woke up too late to go to Sunnyvale though. To be there at a realistic time, I need to leave here at 4 and I woke up at something like 3:30 so that was out. 

So while I didn't feel like going out busking at all, I told myself I should do it one day a week anyway, and "plan your work and work your plan" and got out of here a bit after 7 I guess. 

I played at the Whole Foods on The Alameda and it was an interesting session, in that the tips started with a $20 and then another $20, and then finally a single. I put the $20s in my wallet for safety and busked on, telling myself I've done OK already and I can always count it as practice. 

It got chilly with the wind and general lowering of temperature, and since I'd started at 8:00 I made up my mind to stick things out until 9:30 and I actually managed to. When I did the count-up I found, among the singles and a $5, a $100. I have no idea who put that in there. 

One thing I've realized is that I think a lot of people who tip hang back and listen and sort of "evaluate" and I'm not even conscious that they're there. Of course I'd barely set up and played a single "Amazing Grace" to get warmed up and a lady put that first $20 in there so this is not always the case, but I think a lot of people *do* hang back out of sight before they decide to tip. One lady said, "Thank you for doing this" so I'd say she's one person who's noticed that buskers are just about extinct here. 

Each busking session *is* a practice session in that I always have things to work on like a steady tone, trying to get more crisp note beginnings, etc. But I will say this one practice session went really well. 

Of course when I was done I had to "check in" with Kenny and he wasn't inside so I thought he was gone for the night, but he was outside, talking to an old lady who's probably homeless. She could play an old witch in a movie, haha, even down to one, prominent, singular tooth in front. I told Kenny to guess what I'd made and he said $45, and I said actually $58, but really, ONE-58 and I had no idea who put the hundred in. Somewhere in there the old witch bitched out some homeless guy who was coming over to hang out, I guess, and apparently was going to light up a cigarette. 

"DON'T SMOKE THAT AROUND ME!" she yelled, "IT'S RUDE!!" etc. The guy scuttled off and I told her how I'd grown up in the 70s and we used to buy cigarettes for our moms, and of course for ourselves too, 50c a pack. And the Army! - Don't get me started! She wasn't hearing any of it, "Those people are on ventilators now!" she asserted. "Maybe some of them.... " I said. The thing is that smoking is a nasty habit and I'm glad I never picked it up, but a tiny whiff of smoke isn't a big deal and she was making it into one. Probably has little other purpose in life. 

Another interesting thing while I was busking happened, in that a large (both tall and fat) gal strode by saying something along the lines of, "I tried to play trumpet...." and I said it just takes sticking with it and she said something about not realizing how hard it is. So I guess it's logical that if something's hard you just quit doing it.  

 

 

The arc of history does *not* bend toward justice

 After changing out the memory card and re-shooting the photos, I still just got a black box when I tried to post one on Ebay, so I decided to try doing software updates on my computer. With my last computer, I had to do this periodically but on this one it seemed to do it on its own. 

The answer to that is yes and no. So I had all these software updates to do, and I found a nice long lecture on YouTube about a guy named Walter Benjamin to listen to while I took circuit boards apart and monitored the downloads/updates and the restart. 

The lecture was about 2 hours but wow did it ever clear some major things up for me. Walter Benjamin was a Jew born into a wealthy Jewish family so yeah, 10,000 goyim had to live in poverty and squalor so he and his family could wallow in gluttony and opulence. And much of the account of his life was of the women he f*cked and left behind, the neglected child or children, standard Jewish playbook. 

But when a parasite finds itself in danger, it might come up with some valuable insights, and Benjamin did. He shows how liberalism leads to Fascism. 

It's a core tenet, perhaps THE core tenet of liberalism that "the arc of history bends toward justice/progress". Benjamin, or perhaps the highly intelligent goy he cribbed the idea from a' la' Einstein and Mileva Maric, concluded that the "arc of history" doesn't "bend" anywhere. In a sort of Newtonian mechanics of politics, nothing "goes" unless it's pushed. Progress, regression, don't happen on their own. People make them happen. 

Yet, this "The arc of history bends toward.... " BS means that liberals are content to sit back and do nothing personally, believing that the system is self-correcting and somehow, automatically, bad actors will be punished and good people rewarded and so on. You can hear Chris Hedges intone this maxim in pretty much every speech he gives. It's a core, core belief. 

And it's why liberals are happy to sit back and let bad people take over. "Just wait until Mom gets home" is pretty much what's going through their heads. 

Also, Benjamin noted, Marx said that "Revolution is the locomotive of progress" and in return he quips that perhaps revolution is the unwilling passengers of the train, pulling the emergency brake. 

The Religion Of Progress is one thing, but I guess I never realized how liberals use it as an opiate and this is why they sit around stoned on goody-two-shoes-ism while right are taken away, ICE agents haul off American Indians to deport them to "where they came from", it's illegal to call attention to ZOG, etc. At this time of writing there's to be an "integration" of US and "israeli" militaries, showing the truth in my own maxim that "We are all Palestinians". 

And liberals just sit back while concentration camps are built, and many, many children are missing (this is particularly noted during the Jewish "High Holidays" as that blood matzo ain't gonna bake itself) and the net tightens around we .... Palestinians. Palestinians in spirit, Palestinians in identical situations, we're just, over here in the US, not affected as strongly - yet. 

After the lecture was done, and the circuit boards done, I got some sleep. I woke up at 5 in the afternoon and after some breakfast I tried posting a photo on Ebay and and it's working again. For now. I'd submitted a big report to Ebay so maybe that was it. 

I was able to post the 20 things on Ebay and all's well for now. The neighbors around here are popping off tons of fireworks which is awesome. One year back in Hawaii the Chinese New Year's festivities were described by one newspaper reporter as being "Like the Tet Offensive" haha.