I've somehow just been blessed with really strong metabolism. Was never a gym rat, played sports recreationally but never with some strict regimen or training or anything like that. And in high school/college years, ate like an absolute shithead. A lot of fast food. Shit like stopping at McDonalds drive-thru for a mcmuffin/coffee on the way to college (commute would push an hour in the mornings due to LA traffic). Indulging on sweets. Had at least 1 can of soda every day. But somehow never really put on weight. Have always been about 5'11, weighing anywhere between 135-150 pounds.
But then when I got my lipids checked during a physical, my cholesterol was noted to be pretty damn high. Now, I did have very high HDL levels (the good cholesterol), but also had pretty high LDL levels. Overall the number is big, though they said the ratio of LDL to HDL was on the healthy side, so it wasnt some big code red situation.
I kind of just ended up doing some simple things. More running/activity. To some extent having little kids forces you to be more active anyway. I also eliminated soda altogether from my regular diet. Haven't had soda in my home (other than when specifically expecting guests) for about 9 years now. Sure, if we find ourselves out somewhere, I'll have some, but just never at home and part of any regular diet. Removed sugary cereal crap with more typical oatmeal/banana/egg stuff for breakast. And then if I'm ever still having some appetite or sugar craving after dinner hours, my rule of thumb is to have a full serving of fruit first, and if after that I'm still feeling the same crave, sure, indulge a litle bit. And we probably average about 1 meal per week that is not cooked at home, thats been a big emphasis.
So while I more or less look like I did a decade ago with some more greys sprinkled in, I'm really glad i got ahead of some of that stuff before it manifested in something more problematic. My cholesterol levels are still somewhat inflated, though not as bad as before, and there's not much more I can do diet wise, so its just a matter of making more time for cardio. But doctor has told me as long as the HDL/LDL ratio remains solid, i shouldnt have anything serious to worry about.
I'll often walk to a coffee shop just to sit and watch people. It's easy to lose touch with the masses when you reach a status like mine.
Fortunately, I have always stayed grounded and will always remain so. It's part of my why.
Those who know me know how desperately
I want to address the population crisis by filling this world with children born out of my own seed.
If I don't do something, once vibrant cities will sit empty, the elderly will die alone, and there will be no one to shepherd the global economy. If you don't lie awake at night fearing population collapse, you are the problem.
Just last week, I fought a 22 year old in a bar after I saw a Broadway show (alone). He told me he didn't want to have children. He was happy "doing him." I put him in an arm bar.
"How's 'doing you' working out for you?" I asked. I released and he rolled to the ground in tears. It was his first time in New York and he'd been so excited to see his favorite show in person. I tossed a twenty on him and walked out.
Yesterday morning, I sat at a coffee shop and looked out at a sea of faces. Almost everyone was on their phone or laptop. Finally, I saw a beautiful woman reading
Giovanni's Room. Her hair was dark, her jaw was striking, and in her eyes I saw all the best of humanity's past and future reflected in the depths of her irises. She could have been my sister.
I walked up to her table.
"Have you gotten to the part where Giovanni gets the death penalty?" I asked.
"No..." Her brow softened and she closed her book.
"You forgot to put in your bookmark," I said.
"I'm aware." She started cleaning up her table.
"Wait," I said. I put out my hand and smiled my once-in-a-generation smile.
I'm told my smile can melt ice. Please, people joke,
enough smiling. The sea levels are rising! "I'm Johnny. Let me buy you a coffee."
For the next three hours, she sat speechless while I told her my life story. Well, parts of it.
Truth be told, if everything I did were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.
Finally, I paused and looked up. She smiled and nodded. "I should be going," she began. I reached out my hand.
"There's something else I need to tell you," I said. "And I don't want you to judge me for it, but if we're going to be together, you need to know that my net worth is in the nine-figure range, with lots of room to run."
"It was nice meeting you, Johnny. I wish you the best." She stood up and walked out.
In this day and age, what they're saying is true: technology has ruined dating.
Peace and Love,
Johnny
