40

I made it to the big 40 this year. 

As I mentioned in my last post, a couple months ago the kids were being real turds one day so they got stuck doing chores while I had a couple cocktails. A few weeks before I was sick and I felt like I had pneumonia for the first time in my life. I had to call in sick two days from work, something I have never done, due to the fact I was up all night with fluid in my lungs. My recovery after just sucked. I was tired all the time and then when I had those cocktails in August I set off my stomach. I felt like I had pancreatitis or something, then an infection all over for a week or two after that. I was drinking almost 2 gallons of water a day trying to flush everything out. So I decided it's time for change. 

In late August I stopped having a beer every night at dinner, stopped drinking Dr. Pepper, and started going back to the gym. It's actually the longest I've ever gone without soda. I had my first DP just this week, after 3 months. Not a single soda in 3 whole months! 

I decided 40 was going to be better than 39. The problem is every time I try working out I end up hurting a couple weeks in, due to my lumbar fusion. So this time about a week in I went to GNC and got some bcaa, protein, creatine, omega 3,6,9 and some other stuff. It helped a lot. A year ago my elbow would be on fire after working out and I couldn't touch anything with it. Getting into bed would hurt like hell because I used my elbow. Well all these supplements helped out and I was able to keep going. Between August and Oct 7th, I went from 205 to 188, and that is with a lot of muscle gains. I was pushing myself really hard the closer I got to 40. I had two parties planned and I didn't want to show up with a gut. 

My first party was in Arizona, with my friends. Natalie and Adri made me a Song of The Blackest Bird cake. Song of The Blackest Bird is one of the best metal songs ever written. A song about Finnish folk lore, the black bird calls people to their death. What better cake to represent half my life gone?

Those who hear it will bow their heads
Those who hear it will find no rest
And black as a dream is now their way
For into the shades they all shall fade

I think it's obvious, in a lot of ways Adri is the most like me of my kids.

I normally don't take my birthday off from work but this year I did. Natalie and I went shooting a couple miles from here while my Vaca Frita simmered in the crock pot for dinner. A damn near perfect day. No work, shooting while looking at that hot Dominican butt, and Vaca Frita for dinner.

Still having trouble with my AK-74 jamming. Going to have to rip this one apart.

My favorite handgun. Remington R1 Enhanced 1911.

The day after my birthday we went out to California for another party. I call this party Cassandra's party, with side kick Joe. We had family, all my sister's friends, and my one friend left in California. They decided to do a costume party but I didn't want to. I had been working my ass off and I just wanted to show up as me, and that is what I did.

We had a bunch of 80's candies at the party and I found these bad boys. Only problem is these ones didn't puff the powdered sugar smoke like the ones we got from the ice cream man.

After the party we got another reminder of California going down the toilet. This part was a my sister's friend's multi-million dollar home, not an exaggeration. Their home is insane and they had a Ferrari or two in the garage. We get about a mile from their house and there's a guy jacking off on the side of the road. Living the California dream.