Tag Archives: Jack Fisher Insights

May 13, 2023 · 8:25 am

Mother’s Day Memories (Featuring The Terminator)

Tomorrow is Mother’s Day.

It’s a special day, in and of itself. And it’s a day we should totally recognize. I don’t care what the anti-Hallmark people say. It’s not a bullshit holiday. It’s a great day to recognize and appreciate the wonderful mothers who make us who we are, literally and figuratively.

And when you have an awesome mom like I do, it’s extra special. I’ve gone out of my way to give my mom extra love and praise on this website. I don’t intend to stop anytime soon. I know she reads this site, so I have every reason to continue.

As I’ve done before, I like to use this day to share a brief story to help illustrate why my mom is so wonderful. Picking a story is not easy because there are just so many. My mom does plenty to craft great memories for me and my siblings. From the time I was a kid to just a few weeks ago, she never hesitates to create lasting memories that are worth celebrating.

So, for Mother’s Day 2023, I’m going to single out one particular story from my youth. And as it just so happens, this story involves the Terminator.

Yes, I’m referring to that Terminator.

I promise I’m going somewhere with this. My mother probably already knows the story I’m about to tell and I imagine she understands why I’m telling it.

To appreciate this story, it’s also important to appreciate how my parents went about setting boundaries for me and my siblings. Like all responsible parents, my mother and father set clear rules. There were some things we weren’t allowed to do. There were also certain shows, movies, and video games that we weren’t allowed to play. The list wasn’t long, strict, or petty. And if I or any of my siblings asked, they would offer simple, understandable explanations.

It wasn’t always just a matter of “Because I said so.” My parents did try to be more reasonable than that. And as a result, it was easier to respect those rules.

It wouldn’t be accurate to call my parents overly strict. It also wouldn’t be accurate to call them overly lenient. They always found a way to strike just the right balance in terms of setting clear rules and letting their kids explore the world. It’s the kind of parenting that might as well be a superpower these days.

This leads me to their approach to R-rated movies, such as Terminator movies. My parents weren’t one to take their underage kids to R-rated movies, nor were they the kind to let us stay up late and watch R-rated movies on cable. However, they did make some rare exceptions, provided that they watch the movie with us. And one of the earliest exception was “Terminator 2: Judgement Day.”

That movie is considered one of the greatest movies ever made and for good reason. If any parent is going to make an exception, it’s a movie like this. And that’s what my mother did.

When I was around eight years old, my mother rented the movie. She and my dad actually loved the first one. I don’t know if they had ever seen it in the theaters, but I know they knew the franchise. And even though this movie was rated R, she let me and my younger brother stay up and watch it with her one night. This wasn’t something we had to beg her to do. She just let us do it because she’s just that awesome.

Now, being a kid, I didn’t appreciate all the complexities and nuances surrounding “Terminator 2: Judgement Day.” To my young mind, I just saw a movie full of great action scenes and intense moments. I didn’t really care about the content. The violence and action was just so thrilling to me. My young mind thought it was like a roller coaster ride. The trill of just being part of it was so incredible.

Along the way, my mother did take some time to explain what was going on. At the time, I hadn’t seen the first Terminator movie in full. She also made it a point to note when the violence was excessive. She didn’t try to shield me and my brother from it, but she did make sure we were aware. Even though we were kids, we still appreciated it.

Then, we got to the emotional ending of the movie when the Terminator sacrifices himself. To this day, it’s still one of the greatest moments in cinematic history. And even though I was young, I still felt the impact of that moment when John hugged the Terminator. Then, as he was being lowered into the steel and Sarah embraced her son, my mom embraced me. And that just made the moment all the more powerful.

To this day, “Terminator 2: Judgement Day” still holds a special place in my heart. In addition to being a great movie, it’s also a movie I will always associate with my wonderful mother.

Watching it with her that fateful night is a memory that has stuck with me over the years. It’s just one of the many I cherish between me and my mother. They come in so many forms and in unexpected ways. Whether it’s on Mother’s Day or while watching an R-rated movie as a kid, these moments are special. And for that, I will always be grateful.

So, to all the wonderful mothers out there, especially my wonderful mother, Happy Mother’s Day!

Hasta La Vista, Baby!

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November 19, 2021 · 5:48 am

My Christmas Tree Is Up And My Christmas Shopping Is (Mostly) Done!

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The holidays are fast approaching. Chances are you’ve already heard Christmas music on the radio. You probably started Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas” the day after Halloween. Some people whine about it, claiming Christmas festivities are popping up way too early. They’ll even go so far as to say it undermines the season.

I say to hell with those people. I love it! I love that Christmas decorations start going up as soon as the calendar turns to November. I’ve always loved the festivities and aesthetics of Christmas. Talk to anyone in my family. They’ll tell you the same thing. I love Christmas and I always go the extra mile to make it more awesome.

As such, it should surprise absolutely nobody that I already have my Christmas tree up and decorated. Actually, I’ve had it up for a couple weeks now. I put it up the day after Halloween. I’m sure there’s a healthy debate to be had about when the appropriate time is to put up your Christmas decorations. I would not do well in that debate. I’d get a bit too passionate about my right to put up a Christmas tree on Halloween.

So, rather than debate the merits of having your tree up this early, I thought I’d just take a moment to acknowledge that I take Christmas more seriously than most. I’m the kind of guy who will always want to have his tree up the day after Halloween. If I ever meet that special someone, I’d want them to be part of that tradition, as well.

In addition, I’d also like to acknowledge that this year presents some unique challenges for the holidays. I know that’s a relative statement, given how crazy last year was. Even I had to adapt. I still had all my decorations up early, but my family had to modify their usual holiday activities to work around the pandemic. We still made the most of it. This year, we hope to have some more traditional festivities.

There will still be challenges. There are currently some ongoing issues with respect to supply chains and retail. That’s why I encouraged everyone to do their holiday shopping ASAP. I’ll even belabor that for good measure.

Do your shopping early.

Get your Christmas lists completed now.

You’ll save your Christmas spirit plenty of strain in the long run.

To that end, I’d also like to state that I’m not just blowing smoke. I really practice what I preach here. As of a few days ago, I’ve pretty much completed all my Christmas shopping. Now, I say “pretty much” because I don’t shop for Christmas presents like a normal person. Like I said, I go overboard and I’m proud of it.

My standard practice is that I make a list of all my family members. I then ask them if there’s something specific they want me to get them. Most don’t respond, but those that do get priority. For those that don’t, I try to guess as best I can to get them something they would like. I try to make it personal and sentimental. Some of the gifts I bought years ago still get used today. Those are the gifts I love giving.

However, I rarely stop at one gift. I’ve often been inclined to buy two for each person, often as a hedge in case something I get them doesn’t land. It’s the on time of year when I’m not that frugal with my money. I really make an effort to go the extra mile for the people I love.

Part of that is always being on the lookout for more and better gifts. Even when I’ve got my shopping done, I’ll occasionally go to a mall and just browse. If I ever see something that would just be too perfect, I get it. Every year, it seems, I find something unexpected that makes for a great gift.

So, even though my shopping is done on paper, I’m still on the lookout for other awesome gifts. I don’t know if I’ll come across any. I certainly hope I do. It’s been a rough year and the holidays are the best possible time to make it better. Even if you’re not a big Christmas person like I am, I encourage you to make the effort.

It’s not too late. If anything, the time is perfect to make the holidays this year even more festive.

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August 16, 2021 · 5:47 am

Dear Robocalls: Either Get Smarter Or Piss Off

FTC launches new initiative to combat robocalls - CNET

I hate robocalls.

I’ve yet to meet anyone who doesn’t hate them with the passion of an exploding sun.

You could be having a wonderful day with your friends and family, feeling as happy as you’ve ever felt. Then, your phone rings, you check the number, you think it’s someone local, and you answer it, only to find out it’s some bullshit robocall about a warranty to a car that you haven’t owned in 10 years. Naturally, you’re going to be pissed. It won’t ruin your day, but it will kill your good mood.

Fuck robocalls. I don’t care how adverse you are to profanity. You probably agree with that sentiment. Fuck these robocalls and everything about them.

Now, why am I bringing them up? I promise it’s not just to share my abject hatred of these wasteful bits of frustration. I actually bring it up to share a story that I hope conveys just how stupid these calls can be.

It happened very recently while I was visiting my dad. For a bit of context, my dad is awesome. I’ve already made that clear in previous posts. He’s also in his late 60s and has mostly retired from work. He’s still active, but he hasn’t worked a full-time job for years and he’s more than earned that. He worked his ass off for decades and he earned the right to settle into a less stressful lifestyle.

I bring this up because it’s a critical detail for what happened. Shortly before I arrived for my visit, he got a robocall that was almost too dumb to believe. Apparently, this call actually tried to warn my dad that his student loans needed to be refinanced and they were offering some sort of debt restructuring relief.

Again, my dad is semi-retired.

He hasn’t worked a full time job in years.

He hasn’t been to school since the 1970s.

He does not have any student loans, has never needed them, and his work history has never required anything like them.

Somehow, this robocall was too dumb to surmise that. Something tells me didn’t surmise anything. It just picked a random number and it happened to be my dad’s. I get that these robocall scams aren’t that sophisticated, but there’s a big difference between being unsophisticated and being just plain fucking stupid.

My dad and I still laughed about it. The idea that anyone would call him about student loan debts is hilarious in concept. At the same time, it makes me hate these robocall scams even more. If they’re so dumb that they call my dad about student loan debts, then they’re too dumb to exist. They either need to do a bare minimum amount of research or just fuck off entirely.

Personally, I prefer the latter.

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August 10, 2021 · 6:26 am

On My Way To The Beach!

Holiday Terrace at By The Sea Resorts - Panama City Beach Hotels

Today is an awesome day by default! As I write this, I’m making my final preparations to go to the beach for a few days. It’s the first time in over two years that I’ll be able to go on a nice, relaxing trip. It also marks the end of the longest extended period in which I haven’t been able to go on a nice summer trip to the beach.

We all know why that was difficult last year, so I won’t bemoan that. This year, I’m trying to make up for lost time. I intend on spending the next few days building my entire schedule around relaxing on the beach, gorging on unhealthy boardwalk food, and hanging out at beach bars. After last year, I intend to never take such joys for granted again.

So, if it seems like my content for the next few days is scarce, rest assure I have a damn good reason.

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April 6, 2021 · 5:45 am

Update On New PC And New Video Editing Software (Courtesy Of My Stimulus Check)

A while back, I talked about what I planned to do with my next (and probably last) stimulus check. I recounted how my previous stimulus checks went primarily to paying down some credit card debt and completing some overdue repairs on my car. This time, I wanted to use my stimulus money on something bigger and bolder.

That’s why I decided to put it towards a new PC. I’d been using the same computer for over five years and it was starting to show its age. It was very slow booting up and started crashing constantly in frustrating ways. The time was right for an upgrade.

Well, I can now confirm that this plan I laid out is complete. This piece that you’re reading right now was written on my new PC and, without getting too deep into the specs or cost, I can already confirm that this was a great use of that stimulus money. It might end up being the best way I could’ve sent it.

That’s because, traditionally, when I buy a new PC, I don’t get the most expensive model. I tend to get something that’s relatively modest or mid-tier. I don’t think I’ve spent more than $1,000 on a PC or laptop in my life.

That changed with this PC. I won’t give an exact price, but I won’t say I bought the most expensive model either. I’ll just say I spent more than $1,000 on this machine and that old adage of you get what you pay for has never been more true.

The speed and efficiency of this new computer astounds me. I was genuinely surprised at how quickly it booted itself up and updated itself. Even though it still took a while to transfer all my files and programs to it, the speed difference is night and day compared to my old PC.

Some of that is just because of better hardware, but I suspect most of it is due to this computer having a solid-state hard drive instead of a traditional disk drive. For those not savvy on computer hardware, solid-state drives are the same drives you have in most tablets and smartphones. They have no moving parts and are much faster, but tend to have less space.

It’s a bit of a trade-off, but one I make gladly. In addition to being fast, this machine is almost eerily quiet. With my old machine, I could hear it humming from across the room. This one is so quiet that I’m not sure it’s even on when it’s in sleep mode. It’s that quiet. Based on what I’ve see so far, I don’t think I can ever go back to a traditional hard disk.

However, I didn’t just stop at getting a new PC. While I spent most of my stimulus check on the main unit, I used what was left to purchase something that I hope will be equally valuable. It involves new video editing software.

If you’ve been following my YouTube channel, Jack’s World, you’re probably aware that the quality is a bit limited. That’s mostly a byproduct of me being very new to video creation and having limited equipment. The video editing software I’ve used thus far has been a version of Microsoft Movie Maker that’s no longer being updated. If I want the quality of my videos to improve, I needed better software.

So, after consulting with some people much smarter than me in this field, I went out and purchased a copy of Adobe Premier Elements 2021. This is the software that most successful YouTubers use in some form or another. It’s very new to me. I’ve only started learning about its functionality and interface, but I’ve every intention of using it to make better videos.

For now, expect the next crop of videos to use the old software. When I finally get around to using Premier, I hope the difference will be clear. Along with the new hardware I have on this PC, I hope it leads to a major uptick in the quality of my videos. If it does, then that stimulus money will prove even more valuable.

I’m not expecting more stimulus money at this point. However, I’m already quite pleased with the purchases I’ve made. I hope others are able to make equally fruitful purchases. If you have any other stories about what you did with your stimulus money, please share them in the comments. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some awesome videos to with newer, better tools.

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January 25, 2021 · 5:46 am

Winter Wonderland Memories: The Blizzard Of 96

It’s the middle of winter. Unless you’re living in a tropical or semi-tropical climate, it be depressing. Outside, it’s cold, it’s barren, and the simple act of going out to get the mail requires too many layers of clothing.

It’s not my favorite time of year, to say the least. After Christmas, I’m pretty much ready for winter to be over. In a perfect world, there’s one single snowstorm from Christmas Eve until the day after Christmas. After that, we go right into summer.

Sadly, we don’t live in that world. I live in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. This is an area that doesn’t see the kind of snow you’d get in places like Buffalo, Boston, or Chicago. We’ll get a few flurries and snow showers here and there, but it’s nothing that you need to shovel.

In fact, a major snowstorm is fairly rare in my area. When it does it, people get a little anxious. I have friends and relatives from up north who think it’s hilarious that we freak out over a mere six inches of snow. Having spent some time in places like Buffalo, I see why they feel that way.

However, every once in a while, my area gets hit with a storm that even people from Buffalo and Boston think is serious. They don’t happen every year. We can sometimes go several years without a storm that will dump more than ten inches. Even among those storms, there are some that were so bad that we remember them for years to come.

Well, in the spirit of winter, I’d like to share one of those memories. I imagine anyone living in my area around this time has similar memories. That’s because I’m going to talk about one of the worst blizzards my area ever got. It doesn’t have a name. We just call it the Blizzard of 96.

Admittedly, it’s not a very original name, but make no mistake. This was a storm that left a hell of an impression from New York to Washington, DC.

I remember this storm for many reasons. Most notably, I remember it as one of those rare storms that earned us an entire week off school. As kids in grade school, that was our primary way of measuring how severe a snowstorm was. In hindsight, though, that did not do justice to just how big this storm was.

Again, I live in an area that does not get storms like this regularly. We can handle a few snow showers here and there. This storm dumped over two feet on us in the span of three days. Even by Canada standards, that’s a lot of snow.

My memories of that storm still stand out, more so than most. One of the most vivid was just the night before the storm rolled in. I’ll never forget it. I was sitting on the couch with my dad. We were both watching the weather forecast like it was the World Series. My dad, who had seen his share of snowstorms, just looked at me and said, “Here it comes.”

I went to bed that night with just some light flurries coming down. It was barley enough to coat the tops of my parents’ cars. I then woke up the next morning and it was a total white out.

Every inch of grass and every inch of road was completely covered.

Every tree and bush was covered.

It was a hell of a scene. As a kid, I was just excited because it meant school was definitely cancelled. It also meant my friends and I were going to have some winter fun. However, that’s where I once again underestimated this storm.

The snow was so heavy and got so deep that normal winter activities like sledding and snowball fights were impossible. We couldn’t run around in it. The snow came all the way up to our waist. We couldn’t sled in it because it was so fresh you just couldn’t get any traction. It was really unlike any storm we had ever been through.

At one point, and this is another memory that stands out, we just decided to climb into the back of my dad’s truck and sit in the snow-filled back like it was a hot tub. I don’t remember who’s idea it was. I just remember it was snowing so hard that we just couldn’t come up with another way to enjoy it.

That blizzard ultimately became the storm by which I measured every future snowstorm. In the years that followed, I lived through more major snowstorms, some of which were larger than the Blizzard of 96. However, none of those storms have left the same impression. I don’t know if I’ll ever encounter a winter storm that will have that kind of impact. Hopefully, before it ever hits this area, I’ll have long since retired to a tropical climate.

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November 24, 2020 · 5:54 am

Holiday Memories: A Cherished Thanksgiving Memory

As you get older, you come to treasure certain memories more than most. It’s a natural thing. If you’ve conducted yourself a certain way, it can be a beautiful thing. It’s not always a pleasant process, especially as you encounter major life challenges and inevitable hardships. That doesn’t make it any less meaningful.

The holidays are a time during which we form many such memories. I certainly have. Some of my most cherished memories occurred over the holidays. Some were on Christmas and some were on Thanksgiving. This year, with so many friends and family still isolated due to the pandemic, I find myself contemplating those memories more than usual.

I doubt I’m alone. There’s just no getting around it. For Thanksgiving, especially, we just can’t do things the way we normally do in 2020. That’s just the reality of a deadly pandemic. We can’t travel, get together, or casually share used forks. It’s sad and frustrating, but that’s just the way things have to be for this year.

For me and my family, that’s especially difficult. That’s because every year, my parents make it a point to make their house, the same one I grew up in, the epicenter of all things Thanksgiving. Every year, family from all over traveled to our part of the country to get together, have a giant meal, and just enjoy each other’s company.

These gatherings were often the biggest family gatherings of the year. It wasn’t unusual for there to be at least 20 people crammed into that house. It was big and rowdy, but we all loved it. I certainly did. We had so much fun, sharing in the joys of food, family, and football. I’m really going to miss that this year.

Rather than dwell on that, though, I’d like to share a quick personal story that I hope will get others through this pandemic-hit holiday. It just happens to be one of my favorite Thanksgiving memories of all time and one that perfectly defines what makes my family so awesome.

This particular memory unfolded when I was fairly young. I was still in elementary school at the time and much of my extended family wasn’t that much older. Once again, my parents made their house the central focus of Thanksgiving festivities and we attracted quite a crowd. I remember aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends joining in, some of which I hadn’t seen in years.

In addition to the usual gathering and feasting, the weather this year was just perfect. It was unusually warm for late November. A number of cousins and friends wore shorts and a T-shirt. It was just that nice out. As a result, we hung around outside a lot more than usual. It’s here where this Thanksgiving memory really takes hold.

Shortly after we ate, a bunch of cousins and extended family gathered in the backyard and started throwing around a football, as many are inclined to do on Thanksgiving. It started as a simple game of catch between a few cousins. It then evolved into a full-fledged game, complete with route running, elaborate plays, and touchdown dances.

We didn’t plan it.

We didn’t keep score.

We didn’t even set clear rules and time limits.

We all just came together as friends and family to play a football game in the backyard. It felt so natural and organic. It was a perfect manifestation of everything we loved about Thanksgiving get-togethers.

If that weren’t memorable enough, some clouds rolled in near sunset and it started raining suddenly. However, not one person in the backyard ran inside. If anything, it just made everyone more excited to play. The game kept going. We kept running around, tackling each other, and just had an all-around great time.

Being a kid with a belly full of Thanksgiving dinner, I honestly didn’t want it to end. I wanted to just hang out back there and play football until the sun went down. Even as some friends and family had to leave, we kept going for as long as we could. When it finally ended, I knew on some levels that this had been a special Thanksgiving.

Time has only proven that sentiment right. To date, it’s one of my most cherished Thanksgiving memories. I’ll likely cherish it even more as I endure a Thanksgiving without that big family gathering I’ve come to love and appreciate. I know many in my family feel the same way.

Thanksgiving this year may be disappointing in its scope, but I would encourage them and everyone who shares that feeling to think back to those memories. More importantly, use them as inspiration, as well as motivation, to make Thanksgiving in 2021 even more special.

I hope this little story has boosted your holiday spirits. I also hope everyone finds a way to enjoy Thanksgiving this year, however tempered it might be. The holidays are here. Let’s not allow a pandemic to dampen our spirits.

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October 15, 2020 · 5:52 am

Remembering (And Celebrating) Your First Email Address

People of a certain age still remember what life was like before the internet. Trying to describe that age to someone under the age of 21 is like trying to describe a lost civilization. Some just can’t wrap their head around the idea that getting information involved using books, asking a professional, or just giving up entirely.

I consider myself lucky. I do remember the pre-internet days, but for the vast majority of my life, I’ve had access to it. I also came from a family that embraced it fairly early. I had access to a computer long before some of my friends. We didn’t entirely know what to do with it, but I loved exploring it and the digital world it offered.

It culminated, so to speak, when I finally got to make my first email account. That might not seem like a big deal now, but you have to understand that this was a time when few people had access to the internet, let alone an email address. We still called each other on the phone. I’ll give teenagers a moment to stop cringing.

That first email address was mostly a novelty for me. It was also kind of tedious to set up. It was an AOL address, back during an era when AOL ruled the internet. I didn’t know what I’d use it for. This was around 1997. The internet was still such a novelty. We didn’t realize at the time how revolutionary it would be.

Hindsight has revealed plenty, but I can still say with pride that I have that old email address. It’s still active. I still use it regularly. It’s not the center of my internet world anymore, but I kind of take comfort that I’m still using this email address that I set up before high school.

That’s not the case for most of the people I know. Aside from email that was set up exclusively for work, most say they don’t use that first email address they created. For some, it has long since been deactivated. I can’t say I blame them. Some of those early email addresses were clunky and hard to remember.

Those that still have their first email address, and regularly use it, tend to have a unique perspective on the internet. Even those younger than me treat it differently from all the other email addresses they have. Considering how some people have dozens, that’s quite a feat.

With that in mind, I’d like you to take a moment to recount your first internet experiences. It might just help you appreciate how far you’ve come in this digital world we’ve all come to know so well.

What was the first email address you ever created? What did you use it for?

Did you realize at the time why it was so important?

Do you still use that first email address?

How many email addresses do you have in total?

How many have you abandoned or closed?

How much does email impact your day-to-day life?

For young people, these questions may be a bit harder to answer. There’s an entire generation coming of age that has always lived in a world that has the internet. For them, having an internet connection is akin to having clothes. It’s a necessity to function in the current world.

For those in my age range or older, it’s easier to take a broader view of how the internet has impacted your life. They’re still difficult questions to answer, albeit in a unique way. We can remember what life was like without it. Whether you remember that period fondly or not is entirely personal, but there’s no denying the extent of the impact.

I encourage anyone reading this to appreciate this perspective. Take a moment, if you can, to think about that first email address you had and how it impacted your life. Regardless of your age, it helps you see just how far you’ve come and that’s worth celebrating.

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February 18, 2020 · 5:58 am

Staying In Shape, Eating Right, And How A New Appliance Helped Me With Both

Contrary to what every fad diet and overpriced exercise gizmo may tell you, there’s no real secret to getting in shape. You just have to eat right and exercise regularly. It’s not something you can do every once in a while. It’s not something you can condense into a few minutes and see the same results. It’s a habit that becomes a routine. If done right, it works. There are plenty of documented cases to prove this.

The exercise part is hard enough. I’ve shared my struggles with this before, but it’s the eating right part that most people find extremely challenging. I’m certainly among that crowd. One of the hardest things I did when getting into shape was changing my diet. At that point, I’d become very fond of sugary cereal, carb-heavy snacks, and candy of every kind. Just cutting back on that stuff was a huge test of self-discipline.

However, it can be done. In fact, there are many ways you can go about it, none of which involve buying into fad diets or purchasing overpriced meal kits. Trust me. If a guy like me can do it, then anyone can do it. I’m not that special, in that regard. I figured a lot of this stuff out through trial and error, but you don’t have to endure my errors.

When it comes to eating right, there’s only one way to avoid eating those sugary foods and overeating in general. You have to not feel hungry when you’re around them. That may sound like something that requires self-hypnosis, but it doesn’t. It just requires a little knowledge of which foods make you feel less hungry.

Those foods do exist and you can buy them anywhere. There’s no advanced science behind them. They’re just foods that are high in protein, fiber, and volume. They include chicken, fish, oatmeal, potatoes, fruits, vegetables, and eggs. For me, the one food that helped me the most was eggs.

This is where my favorite new appliance comes in. When I first got serious about eating right, one of my go-to meals after a workout was an omelet with tuna. It was tricky to make and if I was in a hurry, I wouldn’t bother. However, I knew eggs were a great food for feeling less hungry, so I tried to figure out a more efficient way of consuming them.

That’s where my favorite new appliance comes in. It’s nothing fancy. It’s just an egg cooker I bought off of Amazon. It cost me less than 20 bucks. It’s easy to use and it effectively streamlined the process of cooking eggs for me.

The way I use it is fairly simple. Before a meal, or as a snack, I use it to make three hard-boiled eggs. You just put the eggs in, poke a hole in the top, pour water in the device, and turn it on. The cooker does the rest. After just five minutes, I’ve got three hard-boiled eggs. Before I eat anything else, I make sure I eat those. As a result, I’m less hungry overall and end up eating less.

I cannot overstate the value of being less hungry when you’re trying to get into shape. It’s probably the biggest obstacle everyone faces when trying to eat better. It doesn’t help that we’re surrounded by so many delicious foods. Will power alone is not going to help you avoid them. In fact, relying on will power can be damaging in the long run.

Thankfully, the human body can be tricked, as can the mind. It’s not some fancy transcendental mind-body meditation strategy. It’s just simple chemistry. Eggs and foods like them have the chemistry that makes you feel less hungry. As a result, you’re less inclined to overeat. That’s what this egg maker has helped me do since I got it and if anyone is struggling to control their hunger, I highly recommend you check it out.

Please note that everyone’s body is different. Some people require more than just tweaks to their diet and a few extra eggs to get into shape. I am not a doctor or an expert. I’m just sharing some tips about what has worked for me in the past. I don’t make any bold claims or ask for your credit card information. This is just useful information that I thought I’d share.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, all this talking about eggs has given me a craving for an omelet.

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December 6, 2019 · 5:56 am

How I Would Propose To The Love Of My Life

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We all like to think we know exactly what we’ll say to the love of our life when we first meet them. We also like to think we’ll know exactly what we’ll say when we propose, along with where and how we’ll go about it. Whether you’re a romantic or not, we all entertain those perfect moments, even if the prospect of realizing them seems so distant.

Being a self-proclaimed romantic who writes erotica romance novels and sexy short stories, I suspect I contemplate those moments more than most. I know it’s somewhat taboo for straight men to admit they think about such things, let alone act on them, but I believe men are more romantically inclined than most people think. There are plenty real-life stories of heartfelt romantic gestures that prove that.

I sincerely hope that one day, I’ll find someone with which I can share such gestures. As corny as it may sound, I believe in love. I watch it in my favorite movies and read about it in my favorite comics. I also see it in real life with friends and family members who have met the love of their lives. The way they describe their love is greater than anything I could ever put into a story.

Even if that kind of love is the exception rather than the norm, it’s still something I want to pursue. I don’t know when or if I’ll ever achieve it, but I intend to leave my heart open and ready for when it comes. Should that love come along, I’ve already contemplated how I would go about proposing to her. Since it involves the holidays, I thought this would be a great time to share this sentiment.

Before I do, just know that this is going to be cheesy. It’s going to be dramatic and full of romantic fluff, inspired by someone who watched more romance movies than any straight man will admit to seeing. I don’t care either way. This is how I would go about forging the perfect moment to propose to the love of my life.

The setting begins under the guise of a trip. I tell my love that I’d like to go to the annual Christmas tree lighting at Rockefeller Center in New York City. I intend to purchase two VIP access tickets and reserve a hotel suite in the heart of the city. If she agrees, I then organize the next part of the spectacle.

I initially present it as a romantic getaway to get us in the holiday spirit. Perhaps it’s not even the first time we’ve made the trip. The idea is to make sure she doesn’t suspect anything out of the ordinary. Before we even fly out to New York, however, I secretly coordinate with the necessary personnel to ensure there’s a private area for us to share at some point during our visit.

While this area is prepared, we make the trip. We enjoy the sights and spectacles of New York, taking in the holiday festivities. I make sure we’ve got the best seats we can get for the lighting. We cheer with the crowds as the ceremony unfolds. Afterwards, we take advantage of the VIP tickets I bought to take a private tour of Rockefeller Center.

We proceed with the tour like any ordinary couple. Then, once we get to the tree, the rest of the VIPs disperse, as I’ve secretly organized with the tour guide. From there, I guide my love to a private area in front of the tree. Then, while looking up at its beautiful lights and marvelous decorations, I take her hand and tell her how much she means to me.

I try my best to put into words the breadth of my love for her. When words finally fail me, I get down on one knee, present her with a velvet box containing a beautiful diamond ring, and ask her to merry me. When she joyously accepts, I make it a point to memorize every aspect of her reaction.

From there, I place the ring on her finger. We kiss under the light of the tree and seal our love in a way that makes every holiday even more special.

I know it’s cheesy as hell. It might not even be that practical, given how crowded it gets at Rockefeller Center during the Christmas Tree lighting. I’d have to sell a lot of novels to make something like this happen, but if I really do meet a woman that I love with all my heart, then that’s a price I’m willing to pay.

That kind of love is worth it. On top of that, it would make the holidays even more memorable than they already are. In terms of romantic moments, I can’t think of anything more fitting. I just hope I have a chance to share it with that special someone.

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