This is it: today, I am tied for the 2nd longest diet streak of my life at 237 days. Yes, I have eaten exactly what I set out to do—NO binges. Nary a Lay's chip! Now, I watched ol' Matt get all sorts of flustered on Dollar General knockoffs, but I didn't join him! And while he doesn't cover them, I gotta admit, those Girl Scout knockoffs are the BEST!

OK, so maybe sometime later today I will snap the streak? Last year, I chose to do it under the Sun while in the pool. This year...well, the pool remains covered. I'm a day behind on doing yardwork around it, however!

No, today will be just fine. I got this title. But I want that original 795 mark that was kicked off in June 2020; it was one of the best years of my life. And I can tie it on New Year's Day 2026, the year I'll be turning 48. By then, I'll long be out of weightloss mode, but it'll just be maintenance.

It's all a silly ol' thing. I mean, this streak goal has no relevance to anyone else. But, we need those things. Whether its the streak or my talking on here, we need those things to stay on course.

As to where I am now beyond the fitness game, I'm ready for a change. Something new...invigorating...

It's 4:30 a.m. on a Tuesday
It doesn't get much worse than this
In beds in little rooms, in buildings in the middle
Of these lives which are completely meaningless
Help me stay awake, I'm falling

Asleep in perfect blue buildings
Beside the green apple sea
I wanna get me a little oblivion, baby
I'm trying to keep myself away from myself and me

Counting Crows, Perfect Blue Buildings (1993)

Perhaps what I liked about 2020 was that I grew. While the world went up in flames, I paid no mind to the noise and dismissed it outright. "Ship of fools," I said.

I became a better version of me. I studied—really studied, keto, poured hours into it. Explored futurism, Big Tech, history, and industry. Ran through a number of biographies and leadership texts. I set engaging fires to remove trees. I stood in the middle of a highway at night to listen to coyotes howl. I meditated and saw visions in my head. I worked the bag over and over again, pulling pain out of each crunch. I was on the cusp of something very special.

I need that.

Now, I feel my heart beatin'
I feel my heart underneath my skin
Now, I feel my heart beatin'
Oh, you make me feel
Like I'm alive again

Coldplay, Adventure of a Lifetime (2015)