NYC Journal

Seems that hormones effect calcium uptake and its metabolism. I found this out through a NPR program that dealt with transgender issues and some drugs that suppress puberty (hormones).

Pretty much the shrinkage that happens with aging partially is lower levels of hormones.

Know that one of my doctors suggested taking calcium supplements and also D3. The downside is excess calcium can cause plaque buildup in your cardio-vascular system.

My blood type is B+ which is kinda rare (5%) and according to “Eating Right For You Blood Type” correlates evolutionary links to anthropological developments like agriculture, domestication of animals. Know that B+ corresponds to domestication of animals and the development of dairy.

I kinda fit to the “T” the profile for a herder/cowboy. LOL. I could expand on this to suggest that I seem to thrive on a high protien/high fat diet. Pretty much I am like an APEX predator that is a carnivore. Part of this body chemistry is also a personality profile.

I discovered that Simon and Garfunkel pretty much only used 5 keys out of the available 12. Mastering a limited range that involves vocals kinda makes sense. Like the Beatles not all 12 were used, and they too mostly used the more simpler keys.

Point is quality over quantity, and pretty much like a Navy SEAL hand-to-hand combat training, only 6-7 interconnected moves are required, but they are mastered.

Pretty much I need to specialize on about half of the 12 keys available.

I looked at an Audi RS5, the RS3 uses a strut front suspension and does not interest me. Anyways the RS5 is a crazy car that costs about $90K dressed out. Even crazier was the RS7 Avant (station wagon) with a V-8 bi-turbo at $143K. At that price I would have to think about a Porsche 911 GT4. About the same price, but a different car…

Right now my 2015 Audi A4 has less than 47K miles, and pretty much now there won’t be frequent trips to North Carolina that I expect our annual milage to be about 8K miles a year. I imagine I could still be driving this car pretty easily a decade from now, and maybe even longer.

So if I start saving now, and somehow can stay ahead of the rate of inflation I could conceivably have the saved cash on hand to buy a crazy Audi or Porsche.

Hmmm. Not a bad goal, but will my driving skills be up to that level of performance? Maybe not…

Perhaps a 1966 C-10 with a Chevy 383 stroked 350 V-8 with 450 HP and 444 foot pounds of torque with a 4-speed close ratio tranny with two overdrives is a better fit for this old man. Pretty much a muscle-truck like my 84 Jeep Scrambler with a Corvette engine, NV4500 200 pound cast iron tranny, with a cut down Ford 9 inch rear, only bigger.

The natural gas line replacement crew now is working on my street right in front of or house. High noise levels and jack hammering going on.

My ability to multi-task is improving, and generally I really suck at multi-tasking. Somehow my level of focus is also deeper. Don’t know the reasoning, but it might be my guitar practicing has sharpening my other abilities in a surprise manner.

I guess I’m in a peaceful good space…

I now am thinking they we kinda have a herd of rabbits. Pretty much a few broods, maybe 3.

Cal
 
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Gold has recovered from a dip and is now making new higher-highs. It is reported that Central Banks are the buyers hoarding gold. This is the smart money, and they are either hedging themselves from currency volatility and debasement, inflation, or a currency crisis.

Next gold price breach $2550.00. $2548.30 was today’s inter-day high.

As they say, “Follow the money…”

Also know that price controls almost always fail. Pretty much another bad idea that made the 1929 Crash into the Great Depression in 1934. Tariffs and Price Controls are very-very bad ideas.

Pick your evil… Two time bombs… Kaa-Boom… One bomb goes off right away: the other has a delayed fuse. Either way mucho economic destruction and a way to destroy an economy.

Cal
 
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A 2.9 liter RS5 V-6 with dual overhead cams has nearly the same horse power and torque ratings of a Chevy stroker 383 that is naturally aspirated with EFI.

Kinda crazy either way. Voom-Voom.

Snarky Joe says, “There’s no replacement for displacement.”

A RS5 has a zero-60 of 3.8 seconds. If you remove the electronic speed control it can do 180 mph. U.S. version speed limited to 155 mph. AWD for hookup. Would likely beat the C-10 in a quarter mile, although the long wheelbase of a longbed might have a good weight transfer o hook well.

Don’t forget the RS5 has soft summer tires and a low coefficient of drag…

Hmmm… A nice daydream.

Cal
 
Seems that hormones effect calcium uptake and its metabolism. I found this out through a NPR program that dealt with transgender issues and some drugs that suppress puberty (hormones).

Pretty much the shrinkage that happens with aging partially is lower levels of hormones.
Fun fact: It's extremely common for people on feminizing HRT to need to buy new shoes due to foot shrinkage. If you medically transition as an adult, this isn't due to bones changing in size but is due to how hormones affect connective tissues such as cartilage and ligaments.

Another fun fact is that anti-androgens used for puberty suppression or for HRT are commonly the same drugs used to treat prostate cancer. When I decided to medically transition earlier this year, the anti-androgen I elected to go with as part of my hormone regimen was bicalutamide - a prostate cancer drug - due to its favorable side effect profile compared to the more commonly-prescribed spironolactone (a diuretic originally designed to treat edema). Likewise, I have a cisgender male relative in his 80s who takes Lupron - which is also commonly prescribed as a puberty blocker to transgender and gender-questioning teenagers - to keep his prostate cancer in remission.

Cisgender women will likewise commonly take synthetic estrogen or progesterone to relieve symptoms of menopause.
 
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Pierre,

Thanks for sharing.

Know I play with sexuality, and I call myself a skinny bitch. I hope my gender play is not offensive.

Sexuality I believe is fluid. We have a friend who wrote a heart breaking memoir who has two children, a boy and a girl, who was married to a man, who later in life discovered she was attracted to women and is a lesbian. Her ex husband did not take this so well, her children took it well. Her memoir is heart breaking.

At times from behind I have been mistaken as a woman. I am skinny, but I would consider myself an Alpha male. I also have a confused identity and can describe myself as a “white boy trapped in an Asian body.” I have a very confused identity that evolved over time.

I hope you find this thread a safe place, and I wish you all the happiness out of love and understanding.

All the best with your transition…

If you have read some of my other posts you would of learned that I have an enlarged Prostate and I’m taking a medication to shrink it with the hope my PSA measures lower to avoid a prostate biopsy. My numbers hover around the threshold for early possible Cancer.

I also write about my own transformation into retirement to help an area that can be fraught that involves struggle.

Again I play with gender issues by calling myself a Drama Queen, and also a Smut Queen, because I exaggerate the ambiguity of having parts of me that are feminine.

Cal
 
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Pierre,

Thanks for sharing.

Know I play with sexuality, and I call myself a skinny bitch. I hope my gender play is not offensive.

Sexuality I believe is fluid. We have a friend who wrote a heart breaking memoir who has two children, a boy and a girl, who was married to a man, who later in life discovered she was attracted to women and is a lesbian. Her ex husband did not take this so well, her children took it well. Her memoir is heart breaking.

At times from behind I have been mistaken as a woman. I am skinny, but I would consider myself an Alpha male. I also have a confused identity and can describe myself as a “white boy trapped in an Asian body.” I have a very confused identity that evolved over time.

I hope you find this thread a safe place, and I wish you all the happiness out of love and understanding.

All the best with your transition…

If you have read some of my other posts you would of learned that I have an enlarged Prostate and I’m taking a medication to shrink it with the hope my PSA measures lower to avoid a prostate biopsy. My numbers hover around the threshold for early possible Cancer.

I also write about my own transformation into retirement to help an area that can be fraught that involves struggle.

Again I play with gender issues by calling myself a Drama Queen, and also a Smut Queen, because I exaggerate the ambiguity of having parts of me that are feminine.

Cal
"People are the same everywhere" - Henri Cartier-Bresson
 
#3324-5-6 may be opening a new can of worms. On the other hand, it may engender (apologies for the word, no pun was intended here) a new, positive discussion about topics many prefer to avoid or outright ignore.

Sexuality is such a loaded topic. Most avoid it, condemn it, or leap down the throats of those who dare post such things as have been written in this thread, for reasons usually not at all directly related to their true feelings.

As well many of us who see ourselves as "mature" in our outlook and thinking (as well as physically), take the attitude best expressed by one of the mistresses of the late King Edward VII of England. "As long as they don't do it on the streets and scare the horses..." There is room for everybody on this planet, and many of us have come to believe that the oft-quotd (too oft, I think) American dictum, "don't ask, don't tell" has done more damage than good, by holding back meaningful discussion and consideration of the diversity of human sexuality.

I for one applaud the courage of he OP and Evergreen States in having written what they did. own transformation into retirement

along with Cal's shared thoughts about his "own transformation into retirement" as a. very valuable contribution to a difficult topic. I've lost too many friends, along with my banker, accountant and lawyer, to post-retirement trauma. They had been gung-ho executives all their working lives and sadly failed to plan to gradually slide themselves into a happy retirement, with the result that within 18 months of their last day at their respective work, all had passed away. Sad, and to my thinking, entirely not necessary.

So go for it, people. I am sure some, even many here will be following, and we may all learn some good and valuable advice from all this.
 
DU,

At Grumman the pension fund became way overfunded because many retirees died within 9 months to a year after retiring. Understand that employment at Grumman had a culture of being in the “Grumman Family.” This period was before the end of the Cold War, and this culture was dismantled by “Reaganomics.”

Profits came before people, unions were dismantled, air traffic controllers were fired, and I was a displaced worker. I lived through history as an ex defense worker and was laid off twice.

I write about class, escaping poverty. I write about violence and rage, I write about race, but I’m not trying to incite hate, just the opposite. I do my best to make this small place in the world a safe place for everyone.

One reason why I keep this a very long thread is to maintain even the threads that held personal attacks, ignorance, and bullying. These incidences are documented here, Shame on them…

I know oppression, discrimination and violence. It is clear where I stand, and I will defend others who have suffered like me.

I have a friend Nick, who now is known as Nicola, it pains me that here are some people who would inflict on her harm. BTW Nicola can be mistaken as Princess Diana.

My little brother had a scab just above his nose on his forehead, and I asked hime how he got it. He said he got hit by a cigarette butt that was thrown from a car when he was riding his bike.

“An accident,” I said.

“No, not an accident, done on purpose, they laughed,” he said.

My younger brother was perhaps 10 or 11. Just know that this rage rages still in me, and somehow I have to control it. This cigarette butt could of hit him in the eye.

“Maggie” cannot support any justification for violence, but I had to confront her with the possibility of having to fight for not only my civil rights, but also for my life. Hard for white people to understand hate crimes. Many times gang attacks.

I had to confront Maggie with the choice, would she rather visit my grave, or visit me in prison? This is the world we live in.

I deeply admire my friends who are honest and have the courage displayed here.

Decades ago I had to confront my own Homophobia. I was on 7th Avenue in Greenwich Village looking to support some of my gay friends, but I found myself scared that I might be mistaken as gay by asking directions to the community center. I was deeply ashamed of myself. I then realized “us” and “them” became “we.”

Mohamed Ali once did a college commencement, and the crowd of graduates chanted for a poem.

Ali said, “Me,” pointing to himself, and then pointed to the audience/crowd and then said, “We.”

A high school science teacher would start each class with a quote. One was “All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to remain silent.” We live in oppressive times. This is no time to remain silent.

Cal
 
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Economics 101: Subsidies increase demand, and as a result prices go up. Simply the laws of supply and demand. Beware of misguided subsidies, especially when supported by tax dollars.

Subsidies are paid for twice and are inflationary: first higher taxes or increased deficits (the money has to come from somewhere); and then secondarily via increased prices due to a supply imbalance and increased demand.

Basically like price controls and tariffs, subsidies are another bad policy.

Cal
 
If you have read some of my other posts you would of learned that I have an enlarged Prostate and I’m taking a medication to shrink it with the hope my PSA measures lower to avoid a prostate biopsy. My numbers hover around the threshold for early possible Cancer.
I do read your writings here from time to time but there are stretches where I do not and your prostate health is one of the developing storylines that escaped my notice. I responded to your kind words with a quote that I hoped complemented your perspective but I do not want to let it go unremarked I greatly hope your PSA levels stay in check. Fortunately, prostate cancer is often treatable if you nab it in time (as you seem to be endeavoring to do) but it is nevertheless very scary and nothing is guaranteed. I hope you can keep on keepin' on into your 120s as you had projected to (if memory serves).

I also appreciate the well-wish for my medical transition.
 
#3324-5-6 may be opening a new can of worms. On the other hand, it may engender (apologies for the word, no pun was intended here) a new, positive discussion about topics many prefer to avoid or outright ignore.
I laughed anyway. Dad jokes transcend gender and I will never stop making or enjoying them. Besides, I may be nonbinary but I am, after all, half-man on my father's side.
 
I kinda suffer a backlash as a man because women are an oppressed group. I see how some or even many men talk down or talk over woman.

At my hospital I witnessed a PhD scientist talk down to a chemist who had a Masters Degree in Radio Chemistry, and he was explaining basic physics. I intervened and mentioned her credentials and that she learned about basic physics either in high school or in undergrad.

No apology, or recognition of the given insult. It was standard procedure of an entitled man who really was who he was: an asshole.

“Maggie” has the habit of talking over me. I understand that is because as a woman with a PhD she stands up to oppression, but against me it is not required. There is a backlash here that gets played out, and I have seen where the oppressed become the worse oppressors.

I find myself getting treated as a woman by women in that I get talked over and when I say anything it gets dismissed and pretty much I somewhat either do not get recognized or acknowledged or I’m treated in a dismissive manner. Pretty much the same oppressive behavior gets repeated inappropriately.

I have seen how this developes also in racial terms where the oppressed also become self oppressors where say a gay person might never fully trust a straight person, perhaps because of trauma and isolates themselves. I find this so sad.

My friend Brian I confronted because he blew off many invitations. I directly asked him why he repeatedly down played becoming better/closer friends. I also asked if I did anything to offend, but basically Brian found the most comfort and safety hanging out in Harlem among his own tribe. I can respect this.

Hate crimes do exist. Anyways I know what it is like to be a walking target, and I know the dangers where you get singled out.

Also women have a tendency to get defensive easily, and then they get aggressive. It is an interesting dynamic, a kinda learned and programmed behavior in response to how they have been treated or discounted by men.

I like to think I am a real man who pretty much understands and does not oppress anyone. It is all about respect.

Cal
 
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Helped the kids empty a moving pod about the size of a garage this morning.

Took a portrait of an ice cream shop owner for the “Ten Questions” feature for the Peekskill Herald.

Did a Trader Joe’s run for food.

“Maggie” and I are talking about getting our lives back and separating from the kids more.

Somehow the day got broken up.

Cal
 
I had to implement a repair on the pocket door on the powder room off the kitchen. The door jammed on me, and then somehow a slider released from the door, then the second slider released. Had to do some major disassembly.

This is new construction, and it was a bit of a brain teaser to unravel and repair. Pretty much it was not installed properly, and the locking mechanism to secure the sliders was not locked thus binding happened until it failed.

I had to remove some molding to remove the door. No damage, and I was able to reassemble so none the wiser. The door now operates smooth as melted butter.

I finally hung the stained glass window, and it looks mighty trick. Pretty stunning.

So I did get a chance to work on the house and move forward. The dining room is turning out to be a very pretty room. I might make a radiator cover to polish things up.

Made a pasta primavera for dinner using red lentil pasta for a big protien dose. Roma tomatoes from my garden with pepers and onions. Different every time I make it due to technic and also ingredients.

A busy social schedule next week for “Maggie.” I plan on getting into some rides.

Cal
 
I retired early technically I was only 62 years old, but less than 2 weeks away from 63.

The oldest baby-boomers are now 78, and some are still working. A new article in the “Atlantic” suggests that retirement gets harder to do the older you are.

They cite cognitive and mental heath declines. For some retirement leads to despair and a reported 28% have depression.

The thing here is that for some there is no life but work. They suggest for older people who retire at age 65 or older that retirement should be gradual and phased in.

In a way my retirement really is either age 70 or age 72. That’s when my income will be fixed. I’m living on only one of my pensions and savings for now, and meanwhile my Social Security and second pension (17 years at Grumman with cost of living increases) continue to grow.

Somehow at my full retirement pretty much I’ll match my salary when I was working full time.

I have 3 1/2 more years to go for my “early” retirement at age 70: 5 1/2 years for my late retirement which is set by mandatory age limits at age 72. Pretty much I have to start collecting Social Security at age 70, and my Grumman pension at age 72.

I figure I still have 3 1/2 years to finish the house. I can see us filling the dream of a vacation home or a second home further north in the Hudson Valley. Something with more land and seclusion.

DU has it right: retirement for some becomes an end of life. Many have too much of their identity tied to work or their careers, and for those people retirement sadly is a problem.

My current affluence is due to living below my means for decades, saving money, and especially not wasting money. Devil Christian taught me about the European sensibility where more value is placed on quality of life over consumption, consumerism, and status.

I also saw enduring value and spent more rather than less in select and certain areas. I bought stuff that I intended to keep that would be with me or could be with me the rest of my life. Some of my “enduring” value also implies optional resale and to a degree speculation, an example would be say vintage guitar tube amps; 1966 C-10 longbed…

If you notice my thinking and thoughts are kinda long-term. I think and judge short-term thinking as not having wisdom, foresight, or “legs.”

In summery even in my case retirement is a new identity, a learning process, and also a rather long transition.

Sadly some people’s lives become so routine that a sense of purpose gets submerged, and to compound this the challenge that is retirement there is a certain amount of flexibility, creativity, and adaptive learning required that was deadened by routine. I believe this is what makes retirement fraught for so many.

WWW.SmartAsset.com has that retirement tax calculator. It enlightened me and made it clear how to pay less taxes, and also come up with a financial plan that was right for me. Everyone is different…

Cal
 
“Maggie” and I are proud of the progress on our dining room. There are many things that draw the eye, and it is becoming a very pretty room. Not big or fancy, but it just has nice details that are unifieded.

Actually nothing is new, all reclaimed, recycled, or bought as used antiques.

History and period correctness is honored and is on display. Time is captured and draws interest.

Pretty much just the opposite of an old house that is a “flipper” made turnkey.

The room leaves an impression, and there will be a persistence of memory, and a charm is evoked. Perhaps also a sense of warmth.

This is a small and modest house, but it has a wonderful cozy charm that makes it cute.

I was impressed with Andrew’s little cottage. Because he was a boat builder he made small spaces efficient. Only 1100 square feet, his cottage too is mighty cute.

Anyways a cool downsize and inspiration. This cottage was just a 3 season “camp” that initially was likely just the size of a garage, but over 15 years of additions and upgrades grew up into what it is today. I could see doing something like this.

I get to use my tools, recycle things, and be clever. Financially it also makes sense to use sweat equity and my own skills.

Cal
 
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Today it is overcast with spotty rain. We will head to Yorktown Heights to check out a 24 Hour Fitness that also has a pool.

Pretty much a free gym membership under our MediCare Advantage plan.

There is a Planet Fitness here in Peekskill, but no pool. PF is perhaps not considered by many as a serious gym.

Cal
 
24 Hour Fitness is about 10 miles away. The facilities are huge and include a lap pool and a jacuzzi.

“Maggie” is paying out of pocket for a personal trainer who is certified and also has expertise with training older folks. This is a good thing. Know that a woman with a PhD is a kinda know it all and will seldom listen to a man, especially if his name is Calvin. LOL. This personal trainer is a woman, so she stands a chance.

More backlash against men because women are an oppressed group. I don’t argue that women have been disregarded, dismissed, ignored, and abused by men, but please reign in the backlash. Not all men are jerks. Well sometimes…

Like I said, “The oppressed become the worse oppressors.”

In the mens locker room is a analog medical scale. I weighed myself fully dressed with mucho keys, wallet, super sized Panerai, and a light pair of Merrill’s and I came in at a whopping 161 1/2.

On one hand I lost some weight that was fat, and I’m definitely thinner and leaner, but also I gained some muscle it seems. Don’t know if I’m still a skinny bitch if I weigh over 155 at 5’10”. Anyways I will stop using that term untill I am at or below 155. Certainly the extra weight does not add up to be 6 1/2 pounds.

Tomorrow Maggie has an appointment with her trainer. Today I bought padlocks and wrist bangles for our locker keys. I’m stoked about having the gym because if it is rainy or sloppy weather there is no excuse. Not sure how crazy I will get, but you kinda know me, kinda crazy anyways.

Not a bad thing either to get Maggie in the gym for health maintenance.

I’m not in bad shape, but I don’t really feel fit. The slight extra weight I feel slows me down and pretty much I would like to reside at a fighting weight of 148-152. Pretty much I’m mostly muscle and kinda cut.

I have the strength genes so even though my testosterone levels are lower due to aging, I have the genes for lean muscle mass and tone. It already is on display.

They have an elliptical which is a great machine for me. A lot of people hate elliptical machines because they are tough workouts. I love it because it is brutal and efficient. Makes me sweat bullets. A way to burn a lot of calories. Also an easy way to do intervals and get the heart maxed out in a sprint.

Cal
 
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Ukraine has destroyed already two bridges to block off the Russians from resupply. A third bridge remains…

Hmmm. A choke point of sorts to defend or cross… A river as a fortification…

Smart moves, what surprise remains? I love surprises.

Cal
 
We have some book festivals to attend to in the fall: one is in Brattleboro VT; and the other in Saratoga N.Y.

Pretty much Brattleboro is due east of Saratoga. This presents an opportunity to tour around a bit.

My garden is getting a bit feral. Plants are turning into monsters, especially the tomato plants. Crazy big.

Cal
 
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