How much would you pay?

So Spectrum TV is now offering a “a la carte” option. 10 cable channel from a curated list + additional broadcast over the air channels of NBC, ABC, CBS, FOX, and of course PBS. All for $24.99/month for the 1st 2 years.

Spectrum 25 a la carte

So with all the cord cutting going on with Hulu, Netflix, YouTube TV, etc the cable companies are trying to play catch up. Admirable…

But given ALL the options now, I probable wouldn’t pay more than $15/month in my opinion. And I’m being fairly generous I think.

Flu-like symptoms?

I’ve been getting flu shots for quite some time to minimize the chance of getting the flu.  However, I’ve noticed that I still get flu like symptoms from time to time like coughing phlegm and runny nose.  Although there’s no associated fever/chills and headaches, does that mean I still got the flu?

 

Average 401K Balance?

If true, the average and median amounts are pretty unreal. The fact that median balances are less than average balances is pretty telling.

Energy creation…

I recently had an interaction that 10 years ago I probably would have engaged in.  But I stepped back and realized that some interactions with certain people aren’t worth my time in creating what ultimately would be negative energy.  Certain people are set in their ways and just don’t change.  There’s no need for me to be part of it.

Interest rates…

The Chinese in me balks at 20% down on a property.

But man banks make so much money.  They give us normal people 1% interest on our savings and charge 4% on mortgage loans.

Capture6

 

Google Translation Fails

Sometimes Google Translate utterly fails.  The phrase (恭喜發財) is is a great example of translation fails…. I had to double check to make sure that Translate was still working using (新年快樂).

Google Fails 1Google Fails 2

 

Oh and Happy Chinese New Year… It’s the year of the Pig.

Super Bowl 53 (Feb 2019)

Egads… Patriots’ Edelman pretty much torched the Rams secondary. At one point he had more yardage than all of Rams (according to CBS).

2019 Resolution

My 2019 Mantra: Discipline is Freedom. This is from Jocko Willink’s book Discipline Equals Freedom.  I realize I need be more disciplined with my diet and my workouts to be successful in losing weight this year.

  • Lose weight.
    • Intermittent fasting does seem to work for me.  I lost weight this Christmas when I was eating at my own schedule.  But I realized I need to be much more disciplined.  I’ve been experimenting on fasting cycles too.  I’ve been able to eat one meal a day as well as 2 meals within 8 hours.  But I can’t decide which fasting cycle is ideal.  I honestly have had a difficult time trying to adjust the eating/fasting cycles so that the fasting cycles coincide with normal working hours.
    • As part of this weight loss program, I’m going to consciously add 1 day a week of relatively moderate weight lifting exercise as well as core training.  This will be recorded in the journal.
    • My goal is 10 lbs/ quarter.  By the end of the year, I will be approximately 220 lbs.  I’m currently at 260 lbs.
  • Fasting / Food Journal
    • I intend to log my fasting start and end time for the full year.
    • I intend to log a food journal as well too.
    • I intend to record the weight lifting and core exercises.
  • Read 4 books.
    • Obesity Code by Jason Fung
    • Wooden by John Wooden
    • What’s Mine is Yours by Rachel Botsman/Roo Rogers
    • Priceless by William Poundstone
  • Travel three times this year.
    • Planned: Okinawa/Taiwan
    • Within US, I’d like to visit New Orleans, Seattle, Atlanta, Houston.
    • Outside US, I’d like to visit Australia, New Zealand, Iceland.
  • Play 1 hour of Piano a Day.
    • Learn all three movements of the Moonlight Sonata aka Piano Sonata No. 14 in C♯ minor Op. 27, No. 2.  I actually know most of the 1st movement but I don’t play it enough to remember.

 

It’s 2019!

Discipline is Freedom!!

Let’s do this!!!

2018 In Review

After the personal events that transpired in 2017, 2018 doesn’t seem all that bad.

Most importantly, I passed the PMP exam.  Secondly, I started working again.  I finished 4/6 books.  I am on track to finish the 1 Second Every Day project.  I was able to travel twice despite unemployment for a length of time.  And if you count a weekend road trip up to Bay Area as “traveling” then I traveled three times this past year.  My weight was decreasing but started increasing again when I started working.  Overall, I hit a few personal goals but also failed to finish a few as well too.

2019 goals to come.