I know. I know. It’s been awhile since I’ve posted a genuine blog on here. I could cite the “I’ve been busy” clause, but that’s just a cop-out. It’s more that I’ve got many things I’ve wanted to write about and I just haven’t cleared my head out enough to focus on one topic. But, I thought I’d toss off this fairly quick one cause it’s definitely on my mind.
Seeing as I’m 27 (goin’ on 28 in a scant 3 months), there’s a number of bad habits I’ve gotten into in life and you’ll find as you get a wee bit older that your body starts to punish you for such things. It’s times like this when one needs re-evaluate the situation, regroup, and restart. To that end, I’m making some changes coming up and I figure I’ll share them with you.
On Working Out..
I remember when I was a wee lad, I could sit and polish off a large pepperoni pizza all by my lonesome and then down a 2-liter of soda and call it “done”. Until snack time a few hours later, when I’d raid the cupboards for whatever snack foods I could find. I’ve always been a scrawny little thing, and my metabolism worked nicely with me for many years, keeping me almost sickly-thin, regardless of my food intake.
In my late teens and early 20’s, I ran into financial troubles and couldn’t quite feed myself at the level I was used to. Couple that with an intake of drugs (mostly LSD and weed) that came to me for free and I was actually ingesting more acid than food. Younger folks take note : your stomach will not like you if you drop acid 2-3 times a week and eat only once every few days.
As a result of this terrible mix, my body suffered the effects of anorexia for some 3-4 years afterwards. To this day, I still can’t do a 3-meal-a-day thing like the rest of the world. I usually only eat one big meal a day, sometimes two smaller meals. But almost never three – I just can’t take it.
The logical fallout from this is that, coupled with getting older, this ol’ workhorse ain’t what it used to be. I can FEEL every meal going down now. I can feel the pounds packing on. I’m by no means fat, and doubtfully overweight, but a small belly and a general lethargy have ensued. I don’t like that shit. So, I must do something about it, lest I lose that “sex appeal” thing I’ve been wanting all my life but always fallen painfully short of.
As I detailed in an earlier post, my motivation to workout is pretty much nihil but I’ve found a way to appeal to my geek desire and that could very well help me out. I’m going to take the plunge, invest some funds in a new pair of running shoes, grab a nano, get the Nike+iPod kit, and get my ass joggin’. I need to actually set out a plan, actually go for it and do it. Geeky data tracking will give me my start, and I hope in a short time that it becomes routine. From there, I just need to keep at it enough to burn off the fast food garbage collection I call “eating” on a regular enough basis that somehow keeps this workhouse pumpin’ along.
Sure, I should also look into changing my dietary habits – and I intend to – but I’m taking the health thing one step at a time.
On Dark Circles and Face-Bettering…
As I mentioned on my show the other night (and I kinda wish I were kidding here), I’ve hired on a lpersonal licensed skincare specialist. Why, you might ask? Well, this ol’ face ain’t what it used to be. I’m not wrinkling at the seams or turning into a decrepit old man or anything – but I’ve had some pretty nasty dark circles under my eyes for some time now, a flakey dry forehead situation, and occasionally get teenage-era zits on the face and g’damnit.. I’m not the only one who’s noticed. I’ve actually had a number of people, quite unprovoked, look at me and say “you look like you’re not getting enough sleep”. That’s not true, though. Without a defined work schedule (such is the life of a freelance designer), I’m getting between 8 and 12 hours of sleep a night. That’s more than enough for anyone. These circles ain’t goin’ nowhere.
So, I sought the aide of a friend who specializes in these things and she’s all-too-excited to work her fancy magic on my face (in a skincare sense). As of this weekend, I now have a twice-daily routine that consists of applying no less than FIVE products on my face – one for deep anti-oxidant cleansing (whatever the fuck that is), one for general face smoothness and wrinkle-lessening (I know, such fancy terminology), one specifically for dark circles, and two different moisturizers (one for waking up, one for going to bed with).
While I don’t know much about this shit, I’m entrusting her with the MitczFace™ in the hopes that I can clear up these face issues before they actually become permanent. I’m in the entertainment world, after all, and having good skin is apparently something people in this biz actually give a shit about. Hooray for skincare? Eh.. well, it’s a new direction anyway. And I ain’t gettin’ any younger.
On Shaving…
I can be thankful that I don’t have course facial hair. I don’t have incredibly sensitive skin. But, I do spend a small fortune on all those Gilette Mach3 refill cartridges and I still need to shave at least every 2-3 days, lest I look like a grizzly 17-year-old with patchwork facial hair. In addition, my goatee hair could stand to be a bit more full and healthy.
To that end, I wandered across this highly detailed and informative post about wet shaving, using badger-hair shaving brushes, using glycerine-based shave gels with fancy smells, and the classic double-edged razor (and/or a straight razor). My brother-in-law told me about having gone to a barber shop recently and getting a classic wet shave and he raved on about how wonderful it felt, how smooth his skin was, and generally praised the whole experience and recommended it highly.
I don’t like paying people to do shit I can do on my own, however, so the shopping list outlined in that post appeals to my DIY tendencies. Looks like the initial investment is gonna set me back about $150, but the only upkeep is the occasional pack of DE razors (like… what, $5 for 100 these days?) and some fancy shaving gel (about $20 for a 3-month supply). I could detail all the nifty bonuses that go along with switching to a more “classic” methodology of shaving, but it’s all detailed in that post and I don’t really feel like stretching it out into an obsession. It just sounds like a worthwhile idea, and while I’m trying to take better care of myself, it vibes well with the new shit.
On Smoking…
A part of me could really going for not dropping $10/day on cigarettes, smelling like an ashtray to nonsmokers, littering my car and apartment with ashes, doing a real bitch number on my newfound desire for skincare, and heaving when I exert more energy than is required to sit at a computer and smoke all day long. However, a more willing part of me REALLY enjoys smoking, smokers, the smoking culture, and having something not-health-conscious to help ease my mind.
One of the biggest issues, and I know it sounds silly, is what the hell am I supposed to do after sex? I was doin’ a little 69 (I call it “9′ing”) in the driver’s seat of my car the other day off the side of a bike path in some weird yuppie minitown and when all was said and done (and swallowed by the other party involved), I said “smoke?” and indeed we lit up and sat listening to the iPod rockin’ throughout the car for a bit before deciding to hit breakfast (the sun was coming up, after all, so why not right?). Had I not been able to smoke – what the FUCK would I do instead? There’s always that minute or so of post-sex silence, where you get up and use the bathroom or reach for the remote, or grab a smoke, and in situations where I could do none of the above… I’d feel really fuckin’ weird.
I know, I know. Stupid reason. But then, my brain doesn’t really let me focus on important shit when it comes to quitting smoking. Also, life is a bitch to you when you quit. I quit about a year and a half ago and did really good for about a month or two. Then, in a matter of about 2-3 weeks, I had the Scientologists buy out my apartment complex forcing me to find a new place to live, I had a semi-girlfriend lie about her mom dying so she could marry her ex behind my back, my own mother was admitted to the hospital for an intense 3-month cancer treatment (chemo, surgery, radiation treatment, and a laser knife procedure that’s really not pleasant to talk about), and my job at Vivid was working me ridiculously long hours (try a 32-hour work shift) without giving me my supposedly-mandatory raise after 2 years of diligent work and…. well, shit, you’d go back to smoking too.
Maybe I’ll work on this smoking thing soon. First step : cut back so I can jog more. Wish me luck?
On Sex…
Oh, hell, like I’m gonna change that. I tried the celibacy thing, it cleared my head, and I felt good knowing that it wasn’t a NEED that I would die without. But I’m young, unattached, and I love the feeling of meeting and sleeping with new people – casual fun. What’s wrong w/that? Nothing. And I intend to keep it that way.
As long as all people I have my fun with are aware that I’m not the attachable type, and I don’t lie about my activities, then I really don’t see the harm. I’m not that kind of liar, and I shake my fist at double-crossing assclowns that feel the need to hide their lives from the people they’re involved with. There’s no shame to variety in life – and I’m trying to live by example.
On Career…
Admittedly, this is where I need to focus more of my energy. It’s easy to pop out a comedy gig every few months and casually work on my show in the interim, meanwhile pumping out freelance work to keep food on my table and a car in my parking spot. But, that’s just mediocre. Soon, I’ll be adding more to these areas of my life. I’m working hard to come up with ideas for the show, to bring in many of the viewers I’ve lost over the months since my departure, and to work on more long-term things.
Thankfully, I’m involved with two documentaries (both in production and being filmed), I’ve had a few offers to work on other shows, and my pet project that consumes many of my idle mental hours — I’m trying to put together a tour.
Details are sparse, because you probably know how I am about these things. Suffice it to say that I’m working on putting together an entertaining mix of artists and performers to hit the road with and travel the country to entertain the masses on a medium-scale. Not only will it gain more exposure for me and those I’ll be travelling with, but it’ll get me out on the road and feeling good about life. Also, I’ll be able to see a bunch of new cities I’ve never seen before. And, it’ll give me a chance to really challenge myself at comedy – having to perform 30-40 minute gigs on a regular basis and what-not.
As things come together more, I shall divulge more about it. Until then, it’s a pipedream that I toss around in my head and the word is mum.
Wrapping Up…
So there’s my mid-2006 plan-in-progress. Get healthier. Take better care of my skin. Focus more on my career. Return to my days of casual sex. Feel good about life. I’m feeling good these days. I’m excited to get this shit off the ground. Excited to try out new things.
Oh, and I’ll get back to blogging more soon. I’ve got some interesting articles I’ve been passively working on as of late, and I hope you’ll return to check those out when they’re ready to be unleashed.
Until then – keep on uhh… doing whatever it is you’re doing. As long as it doesn’t hurt anyone too bad.
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