What am I going to do about MY LEGS?
MY LEGS! Digital Comics! Charley Crockett in Boston! Clerks III! Taming email!
MY LEGS!
Dang, “What am I going to do about my legs?”
We used to say this a lot back in my Wild Zero days. Anything leg-taxing would cause it. Mostly loading SVTs into the Middle East Downstairs or the broken elevator in the Charlestown practice space.
I’ve been wondering about my lower appendages a lot lately. Hitting the gym and trying to understand as someone who hasn’t had a beer in a long time, looks like he’s been drinking beer for a long time.
I'm not having a pity party over my body dysmorphia. I’m working on it. And I feel good. Do you know the hardest part of strength training for weight loss? Besides “my legs”? It’s the rest. The negative space. Rest, and you let your muscles rebuild themselves. The tingling feeling of waiting to use that machine, bench, or leg press machine after forcefully hitting it hard. I’ve been doing it all wrong for *checks notes* my whole life.
Maybe I was fit when I was in high school. Or before I stopped drinking, the “I’m not drinking alcohol, so I will let myself eat or drink whatever I want” attitude worked to get me sober. With any luck, my BMI will shrink too.
The logical part of my brain thinks that going to the gym and lifting seven days a week would yield seven days of results.
It’s not true. The transformation happens in the downtime. And I am sure this has been well-trodden territory.
From the Tao
The way to use life is to do nothing through acting.
The way to use life is to do everything through being.— Lao Tze - Tao Te Ching
The plus side so far is that I have a plan. It involves walking nearly an hour a day to get to a calorie deficit and start to burn the fat. The plan also includes high-protein dieting, which lets me make French Toast when I feel like it. We went to IHOP the other day, and both had protein Lemon Ricotta & Berry pancakes and French Toast. I think I ordered an extra entrée, but it let me take some of that French Toast home.
Digital Comics - The Death of my Wednesday Warrior Persona
My regular comic shop Wednesday trip has lapsed. With the end of G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero (IDW) at issue #300, I am cutting the habit out completely.
As I write this, Talking Joe has revealed that Larry Hama is currently writing issue #302 for a new publisher to be announced.
It’s been the pandemic and moving that seals the deal for me. I have the obnoxiously named DC UNIVERSE INFINITE ULTRA, MARVEL UNLIMITED PLUS, and COMIXOLOGY UNLIMITED. Along with my catalog of previously purchased digital comics from ComiXology, I have everything I need to read and be happy!
Some exceptions prove the rule for hard copies, like the above-pictured Ronin: Book II from Frank Miller Presents. I ordered by mail directly.
Here are my main motivations for the switch to digital
More comics. Vertigo and Black Label titles have just been added to DC UNIVERSE INFINITE ULTRA. Shade: The Changing Man and Sandman are getting a reread
The MARVEL UNLIMITED PLUS tier gives me new comics three months after the street date and 30,000 Marvel comics. Captain America: The Bloodstone Hunt, anyone?
DC pushes books to tablets 30 days after the street date. We don’t record a weekly podcast anymore about comics, but ironically, I’m reading more now than I ever have
Storage. I’m sure THE MINIMALISTS have a lot to say about finding a place in one’s home for 20 long boxes of dead paper
My comic shop is going away. Sad for sure…but I need to let go of the habit to grow as a person happy in my living space
Jukebox Charley: The Man From Waco at Royale
We all can recognize this substack for what it is, a Charley Crockett stan account.
Here he is, signing my poster at Royale last month. I said, “Hey man, can I get a picture for Dad?”
He said, “Sure! Hey brother, I like your style.”
Maybe because I was dressed like him.
Here’s a little of Diamond Joe from the meet and greet.
CLERKS III
I make have overdone it with either the espresso or the food, or the leg workout. Either way, I feel a little sick at the moment.
But, last night, Sal and I saw CLERKS III: The Convenience Tour (now streaming on Digital). Rebuilder and Mega Ran both have songs on the soundtrack. Not bad to be sitting next to one of my favorite Pearl Jam songs.
I would say this is required viewing for middle-aged men of a certain type, but also anyone. The story was touching and surprising. It’s a leap from Jay And Silent Bob Reboot and a look back at the creation of Clerks, Kevin Smiths’ career, his widowmaker heart attack, and introduces Harley to the View Askewniverse. I cried many times. I’ve been struggling with Fear of Death, and this is a tool that I will lean on to get me out of a funk and start creating. (Hence this substack out of the blue).
TECH TIP TEASER
I do still want to provide some productivity value to your feed. I think I have taken enough of your time today. I suggest using something like unroll.me to help tame your inbox.
There’s more to add, but give unroll.me a shot, and we’ll check back soon!