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I went shopping at Target today. I don’t shop much; in fact, I haven’t shopped in forever. But ever since winter was ending, I realized that I don’t have a lot of tops to wear to work. I don’t have much “work clothes” lol. I have 3 pairs of jeans (regular dark blue, skinny jeans, and gray jeans), and plain t-shirts.
I have some assortment of sweaters, but now that’s it hot, all I wear are solid color polos and v-necks. I look good in polos and v-necks, so I was hoping to maybe find some more colors, but no luck today. Target v-necks fit me weird… small hugs my shoulders like the apocalypse is coming and medium looks like a dress.
I tried on this Merona Tailored Fit Blue Oxford shirt (small, $23) and I actually kinda like it. It’s not perfect, but it actually sorta fits me decently (it’s hard to find shirts that fit me, I’m so little and irregularly shaped).
I like the way it looks… it’s simple, has a nice texture, and is casual but not super casual. It’d be appropriate for when I have to dress “up” for work but not “too up,” ya dig?
It’s nothing amazing, but at $23, it was worth a shot.
Target is Dat Le’s favorite retail store. It always has stylishly simple clothes at very affordable prices. He likes the minimal branding and the frugalness of the bang for the buck.
This is the best commercial I have seen in a long time. Watch it.
Source: Reddit
I went to Walmart yesterday and decided to try out the super-cheap Walmart protein by Body Fortress.
I was debating between Body Fortress whey protein and Six Star whey protein, but decided to get Body Fortress because it was a few dollars cheaper ($15.98 vs. $18.97 for 2 lbs.).
I was actually inspired to get cheap protein because of this video (“Cheap Protein Has Changed my Life”) by Chris Jones of Physiques of Greatness (great YouTube channel by the way, dude’s got a personality and a unique way of living life. Oh, and he’s jacked).
I did some research, and the main takeaway I got from all this was “protein = protein.” There are some differences in quality and marketing, but in the end, it’s not that serious.
Sounds good to me.
I used to buy (relatively) expensive protein for $53 / 5 lbs., because my logic was, “This is my hobby, might as well spend money on it because it’s something you actually enjoy.” But I actually enjoy the act of working out, not really the act of taking in protein. I actually only take protein because I feel like it’s something I “should” do. Like, how you should shower after you go jogging or something. I don’t really care too much about the quality of the protein.
It’s a psychological thing. It’s almost like a check box. “I worked out today. Did I take protein right afterwards? [ ] Yes [ ] No”
And for that purpose, I think Walmart protein satisfies it. PLUS, and this is the biggest thing… is that I hate ordering protein online. HATE IT. I am VERY paranoid about my shit getting lost in the mail, and I hate that I have to wait a few days to receive what I purchased.
With Walmart protein, I can pick it up, feel it, put it in the cart, and it’s in my kitchen when I get home. For me, that means a lot.
PS: Come to think of it, I think I actually tried Body Fortress protein way back in my freshman year of college. I remember it tasting HORRIIBLE, as in, having to force it down my throat and trying my hardest not to gag and throw it up. HOWEVER, I read reviews during my research that said it tasted pretty decent and mixed well. Maybe they changed their formula. I hope so. But in the end, it doesn’t really matter because I don’t drink protein to ENJOY it. I just drink it because I feel like I should, so taste is kind of a nice but unnecessary extra IMO.
Saw a comic on Reddit the other day:
Do people seriously get pissed at drivers who idle in front of them and don’t turn right on red?
I LOVE IT WHEN THAT HAPPENS
I hate hate hate hate turning right on red. It’s stressful as fuck. Basically, you have to time it right or you DIE. Similarly, I hate left turn yield lights and left turns in general. At least when you turn right, you don’t have to worry about crossing over traffic.
I actually hope that every time I roll up to the light, the person in front of me doesn’t turn right. I don’t want that sort of pressure.
Preferably, I’d like the light to be green so I can just turn right or whatever, but if it’s red, I hope I don’t have to be the one making that scary unprotected right turn.
Sometimes I like to PRETEND I’m going straight. I leave my blinkers off… and then right when the light turns green, I turn on my right blinker and turn right. Haha! The car behind me thought I was going to go straight. After seeing me turn right, he probably thinks, “Darn! Bamboozled! If I knew he was going to turn right I would have honked him and rushed him and stressed him out and made him feel bad. But now it’s too late, what’s done is done.”
A few days ago, someone posted a cool tip on Reddit called the “Veto Rule.” It helps people decide on what to eat.
This brilliant little rule is used in my house often. I guarantee success.
Scenario:
WITHOUT the veto rule:
Me: Want to grab some Pizza?
Her: I don’t care.
Me: What about burgers?
Her: I don’t care.
Me: We could grab some chicken tenders…
Her: I don’t care.
Me: OK, let’s get the pizza then.
Her: I don’t want pizza.
Me: (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻ (flips table)Instead of this happening, you institute the veto rule, which means that anyone who vetoes a suggestion has to pay for that veto with a suggestion of their own. This keeps it from becoming lopsided.
WITH the veto rule:
Me: Want to grab some Pizza?
Her: Veto. Mexican?
Me: Nope, sounds awful. What about burgers?
Her: Nah. Chicken Tenders?
Me: Agreed.No tables harmed.
Every Sunday, I eat brunch with my parents. And every Sunday, we always have trouble deciding where to eat.
Mom: Where do you want to eat?
Me: Doesn’t matter
Dad: Doesn’t matter
Mom: I don’t care either
Me: How about Pho Ga?
Mom: Sure sounds good to me, let’s go get Pho Ga
Dad: What?? Pho Ga?? I don’t want Pho Ga!
Someone commented, “You cannot be the voice of apathy and dissention at the same time.” I don’t know about that, but to me, the gist of the rule is: “It’s easy to reject an idea on where to eat, it’s harder to make a suggestion. Therefore, if you want to naysay an idea, you better come up with one yourself.”
It puts pressure on the person denying the idea. They’ll think, “Shit, if I can’t come up with a better idea… then I guess that’s the best possible option.”
Good tip, huh? I thought so too.
PS: We decided on E Star Buffet. The sushi there is surprisingly good.
Here’s a great (although somewhat obvious) post that got a lot of attention on Reddit. Someone wrote up a post titled “I have practically zero friends.” The poor guy says, “Here I am sitting in my college dorm while my roommate is out at a club and here I am sitting alone with no one to talk to. I feel like I can’t make friends and I don’t really know how. I have a girlfriend and she loves me tons and I love her back but sometimes it feels like I am lonely and I don’t know what to do about it.”
The great post comes in this reply:
Here’s the thing. I looked at this and immediately saw myself 20-30 years ago. I just didn’t get it. I was a nice guy, never did anyone any wrong and saw jerkoffs getting all the attention, girls, friends and kudos. What was wrong with the world?
I’d had plenty of heart-to-hearts with people along the way and none appeared to answer the question of why I had no/few friends.
Then, one day, like being slapped in the face with a wet kipper someone I knew pointed out a simple fact to me and there it was.
I was a bit older and a bit drunk at a with a friend, who was incredibly popular. He was going away on a golf weekend and wanted to know why I wasn’t going. I said that I didn’t feel like I was part of the “clique” and felt I was only ever really invited to play as an afterthought to make up a foursome. It really pissed me off that geeks like xxxxx and yyyyy would be invited regularly but not me.
He said, “Dude, when have you ever invited me to play golf? I get invites from xxxxx and yyyyy and zzzzz and all of the others and they all make a point of arranging a game and inviting people to play. From there we end up arranging more games and the invited become circular. You’re a great guy, and a lovely fella but you have never once arranged a game of golf and invited anyone to play.”
What a cock I had been. How many years of my life had I wasted waiting for some party invite or phone call that would never come because I’d been sitting like a beggar in a street waiting for handouts. People didn’t invite me because they had no reason to believe I liked them or wanted to be in their company. All people have their own insecurities and very few are going to make an effort to include someone if they feel it won’t be received or reciprocated.
We all want to feel liked. That means the people you want to like you, want to know you to like them first. (Sorry for the tongue twister there).
IN SUMMARY: If you want others to be your friend, act like a friend to them.
Note: I fully understand those who are questioning my perspective so here’s another couple of thoughts: I’m merely saying “if you want to win the lottery, first you need to buy a ticket.” To those who say “This is rubbish because I bought a ticket once but didn’t win.” Well… Best of luck to you, perhaps try a lottery with smaller odds?
Also, this is not about becoming the lead of some shallow group of hangouts - more about putting as much interest and effort into forming and keeping relationships going as you’d like others to do with you.
PS: And to those who are saying “this is obvious! Nothing new here!” I agree entirely - I just wish I’d known it when I was younger.
Everyone is insecure. I am insecure sometimes about my own friends.
I have friends that I love hanging out with, but I RARELY initiate plans with them? Why? I don’t know. I guess I am afraid of rejection.
Actually, I’m not really afraid of outright rejection. If I invite someone to eat chicken wings and they say “Sorry, I can’t,” I’m not really crushed. I’m pretty sure they’re being honest.
I actually get crushed if the person flakes. I get really disappointed when someone says “yes,” sets a date and time, and then cancels at the last minute. “Hey, sorry, I actually can’t make it tonight… something came up.” Ouch.
I don’t know why but I put a lot of emotional investment in that hangout. Maybe it’s because I rarely initiate hangouts, but when I do, I really expect them to be successful. I can’t stand it when my hopes go up only to become flattened.
Also, I’m afraid that my friends are actually TOO GOOD of friends and will hang out with me but not really want to. “Dat invited me to hang out, I’m kinda busy, but I guess I’ll hang out with him for a bit, just to be a good friend.” I know it sounds loserly and self-esteemly, but sometimes it sounds like that. It’s insecure as fuck, I know. Sometimes there’s a little voice in the back of my head that goes, “Eh, they’re busy, they don’t really wanna hang out with you but they probably will.” I care a lot about my friends and the last thing I want to do is invite them to something lame and they don’t want to be there. And then they’re forced to be nice and they’ll say all the right things but in the end it all seems a little awkward.
I have read that some people have a concern that their friends don’t really like them, their friends only “tolerate” them. I’ve never really had that concern for some reason, but that is a pretty shitty thought.
I don’t often create meetups, but I love it when someone initiates a hangout and invites me, because their end of the deal is already sealed. All I have to do is complete my end (show up), and I feel confident that I’m wanted because, heck, I was invited! It’s not my event, but their event, so I feel like I don’t have the burden/responsibility of making it be awesome. And I’m an easy-going guy, so I think anytime I get to hang out with my friends is great.
But all in all, I just thought this was just a nice post. To tell the truth, I really don’t think about friends that much. I’m extremely happy with my social life. I don’t have a tight clique or anything, but the few friends I do try to keep in touch with are pretty damn awesome. Just wanted to share!
The husband looks at the honey and says, “Honey, I love you.” And then he’ll keep on looking at that face. You know why? The honey has to go, “I love you too, darling.” Right? Now suppose that honey doesn’t say that in return. How do you feel? Terrible, huh? He’ll say, “Honey? I said ‘I love you.’” And still that honey sits quietly. And you’re already puzzled and put up, you put your hand on her, you shake her, “What’s the matter with you? Don’t you love me?”
Am I saying anything new? What does this mean? Analyze the situation. He says, “Honey, I love you… and I expect you to love me in return. You are keeping quiet, so I am puzzled. I am disturbed. Don’t you want to love me?” Now suppose, JUST SUPPOSE, she says, “I hate you.” Where will this hubby be? The tires will be screeching in his car, he will be at the lawyer’s house to apply for a divorce. What does that mean? It means, “Honey, I give you my love, and in return, you give your love to me. If you don’t want to give your love to me, I don’t want to give my love to you.” Am I right in saying that? Would you call that love? I have a name for that. Do you want to know?
Business.
One of my favorite videos, because it really makes you think.
What is true love?
It’s true, a lot of relationships are very business-like. Based on transactions. “You scratch my back, I scratch yours. You keep up your end, and we’re good.” They’re business partners. They are takers. They are primarily concerned with what pleasure they can derive from the deal, not with how much pleasure they can give the other person.
I think the best relationships are about sacrifice. Two people working hard to make the other person happy because it just feels good to make someone else happy. An optimal relationship is when love and happiness is being given with great efficiency.
Loving one another is hard work. It’s rewarding, but it takes a lot of effort and energy. That’s why we generally choose one partner and invest in that partner. We’re trying to maximize the love flow.
No one is perfect, though. We all have our own desires, and sometimes we get selfish. Sometimes we do things that only benefit us and not our partner. But it’s OK, because as long as we acknowledge that, we can work hard to try to make things great overall.
Also, we all have to have some sense of self-preservation. It’s great to give love, but to continue giving love, you must receive love back. One-sided love is not good. The love cycle gives couples the energy to keep loving. It’s important.
There’s a difference between taking pleasure and receiving love. Both give you pleasure, but the former leaves one person drained and the latter makes both parties better.
And with that, I leave you with a cliche to tie up everything: “Don’t think about what your partner can do for you… think about what you can do for your partner.” ~John F. Kennedy (not really)
An unrealistic perception of life is the basis of fear. People are not willing to live, people are not willing to die. That is their whole predicament right now. The fear is simply because you’re not living with life, you’re living in your mind. Your fear is always about what’s going to happen next, that means your fear is always about that which does not exist. If your fear is about the non-existent, your fear is 100% imaginative. If you are suffering the non-existential, we call that insanity. So, people may be just socially accepted levels of insanity, but if you are afraid or if you are suffering anything which does not exist, It amounts to insanity, isn’t it? People are always suffering. May that what happened yesterday or what may happen tomorrow. So your suffering is always about which does not exist simply because you are not rooted in reality; you are always rooted in your mind. Mind is, one part of it is memory, one part of it is imagination. Both of them are in one way imagination because both of them don’t exist right now. You are lost in your imagination, that is the basis of your fear. If you were rooted in reality, there would be no fear.
Great video. I constantly live in fear. Someone once said that “FEAR” stands for “False Evidence Appearing Real.” Worry doesn’t help tomorrow’s troubles, but it does ruin today’s happiness.
I’ve trained myself well to jump immediately to despair and hopelessness. I’m optimistic most of the time, but when it comes to my health, I’m a hypochondriac. Currently trying to train my brain to be more hopeful and faithful.
Longer Video, and there’s more of him on YouTube if become curious
Check out this post on Reddit. It’s a reply to the question “What are some penny smart, dollar dumb things you wish more people knew?”:
People start cutting on entertainment and stuff like that as the first step, as it is a “luxury” but actually it plays important roles in bonding and in regenerating ourselves.
When our rent is $600 and our car insurance is $80, then denying ourselves a dinner on town for $60 once or twice a month would be just stupid. We had to pay $1100 for literally nothing - rent for our last apartment which had 3 months notice period even though we moved in the first one. That is like 18 dinners out on town. So why deny yourself these pleasures? It is more important to organize life so that you don’t have these extra costs that buy nothing.
An Xbox is $180. Fixing our car after the last accident was like 5 Xboxes. So get that Xbox if you really want to. You have one life to live.
Ultimately what we need to cut is those costs that bring no pleasure.
Extremely good point. Like my dad says, “Spend money on things that make you happy.” The flip side of that is, “Don’t spend money on things that don’t make you happy.”
If you read my tumblr rants, you’ll see that I think a lot of what society expects us it do is dumb. I think it’s for the birds.
I don’t need a fancy, high-paying job to pay for fancy, expensive things because I don’t like fancy, expensive things. I don’t really enjoy huge parties. I don’t care for fancy cars, or fancy clothes, or fancy dinners. I don’t care how many channels I get or how big my flat screen is. I try not to care about impressing others or worrying about who’s making what salary. It’s never good to compare yourself to others because it’s a goose chase.
I like having internet on my iPhone. I like having money to spend on a gym membership. I like having computers. Those are things I enjoy and value.
I also value things like stability and relationships with my friends and family. I value bringing value to other peoples’ lives, however I can. I don’t need to kill myself making 200k a year to do that. I better be making SOME money, but I don’t have to be on that millionaire status.
Sure, it’d be nice to be a millionaire and all, but I’m not going to get depressed if my bank account stats aren’t overflowing with extraneous digits. Give me a lot of money and I’ll take it. If not, I’m not going to stress out about getting it.
I’m a simple guy, with simple pleasures. The saying “That man is richest whose pleasures are cheapest” rings true here. I suppose I’m blessed with not being very ambitious (in the typical sense of the word). If you know me, you know I’m all about self-improvement and being the best you can be… but at the same time, I’m not really a greedy guy.
We all have one life to live, and it’s a borrowed life. Enjoy it however you want to enjoy it
Personally, I enjoy saving a lot of my money because I don’t feel the need to spend it to “enjoy” my life. I get more satisfaction in knowing that I have funds for an emergency. If my parents need money, I got them. That sort of thing.
What about you? Do you enjoy the fancy things in life? (Absolutely nothing wrong with that!) Does it motivate you to bring up your cash flow? How do you like to spend your money? What do you think is a smart way to spend your money and what are some stupid ways that people spend their money?
And as always… don’t forget to LIKE MY STUFF… comment, subscribe.. holla back at ya boy (Chris Jones reference).
