Original Orient Adventures

Jack of all, master of none, better than master of one

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I’m a father and grandad just trying to keep up with the economy and start new tasks/skills I consider my self a jack of all trades and I love learning different things
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  • Part 3 of my “Learning AI for Real Results” series

    Using Claude to Fix My Zero-Sales Problem (Week 1 Results)

    The Harsh Reality Check

    Let’s start with the uncomfortable truth: It’s been 6 weeks since I launched my digital products on Gumroad, Etsy, and Redbubble.

    Total sales: Still zero.

    Not “almost zero” or “just a few.” Actual zero. As in, nobody has bought my 50-page books on mental health and personal finance, my todo lists, or anything else I’ve created.

    But instead of wallowing in disappointment, I decided to treat this as the perfect test case for Claude. Can AI actually help turn zero sales into… well, at least one sale?

    The Claude Consultation

    I approached this like a real business consultation. I fed Claude all the details:

    • My current products and their descriptions
    • The platforms I’m using
    • My pricing strategy (or lack thereof)
    • My marketing efforts (spoiler: minimal)

    My exact prompt: “I’ve had digital products listed for 6 weeks with zero sales. Here are my current listings [inserted descriptions]. What am I doing wrong, and what would you change first?”

    Claude’s Brutal Honest Assessment

    Claude didn’t sugarcoat anything. Here’s what it identified:

    Problem #1: My Titles Were Boring

    • Old title: “Personal Finance Guide: Money Management Tips”
    • Claude’s suggestion: “Broke at 30: How I Finally Stopped Sabotaging My Own Money”

    Problem #2: Descriptions Focused on Features, Not Problems My original description talked about “50 pages of financial advice” instead of “finally stop living paycheck to paycheck.”

    Problem #3: No Social Proof or Personal Story I wasn’t leading with my actual experience—the messy, relatable stuff that makes people trust you.

    Problem #4: Pricing in No-Man’s Land My books were priced at $12—too expensive for impulse buys, too cheap to seem valuable. Claude suggested either $5 for quick wins or $25+ with more content.

    The Real-Time Experiment

    Instead of just talking theory, I decided to implement Claude’s suggestions immediately and document what happens.

    Week 1 Changes Made:

    New Product Titles:

    • “The Anxiety Toolkit That Actually Worked for Me” (mental health book)
    • “How I Went from Broke to Building an Emergency Fund” (finance book)

    Rewritten Descriptions: Instead of listing what’s in the books, I led with the problems they solve and my personal story. Claude helped me write descriptions that sounded like I was talking to a friend, not giving a corporate presentation.

    New Pricing Strategy: Dropped everything to $5 to test Claude’s “impulse buy” theory.

    Added Urgency (Claude’s Idea): “Written by someone still figuring it out, not someone who’s forgotten what struggle feels like.”

    The Results After 7 Days

    Sales: Still zero, BUT…

    Traffic: 3x more views on Gumroad (from basically none to… slightly more than none, but still progress)

    Engagement: First comments/questions on Etsy in 6 weeks

    Email Signups: 2 people signed up for my blog updates (okay, it’s small, but it’s something!)

    What I Learned (The Hard Way)

    Lesson #1: Better copy doesn’t guarantee instant sales Claude’s suggestions improved everything, but selling digital products is harder than just having good descriptions.

    Lesson #2: Platform matters more than I thought Gumroad, Etsy, and Redbubble have different audiences. My personal experience angle might work better on platforms where I can tell more of the story.

    Lesson #3: I need to drive my own traffic Even with better titles and descriptions, nobody sees them if I’m not actively promoting them. Claude pointed this out, but I was hoping the platforms would do the work.

    The Uncomfortable Truth

    Here’s what Claude helped me realize: My zero-sales problem isn’t just about product descriptions. It’s about not having an audience yet.

    I’ve been trying to sell to strangers who don’t know me, haven’t heard my story, and have no reason to trust that my “personal experience” is worth $5.

    That’s why I started this blog series. I’m building an audience first, sharing my actual journey, and letting people get to know me before trying to sell them anything.

    Next Week’s Experiment

    Claude suggested something that scared me a little: Give away one of my products for free to get reviews and build credibility.

    So I’m going to offer my mental health book as a free download to blog subscribers and see what feedback I get. Real feedback from real people who actually read it.

    The Theory: Better to have 20 people read it and give feedback than zero people buy it.

    The Bigger Picture

    This experiment taught me that AI is incredibly helpful for improving what you have, but it can’t solve the fundamental business challenge of finding people who want what you’re selling.

    Claude made my products better. But I still need to do the work of building relationships, creating trust, and proving that my “learning as I go” approach actually provides value.

    That’s exactly what this blog series is doing.

    What Would You Do?

    If you were in my shoes—6 weeks, zero sales, but some early signs of improvement—what would you try next?

    Should I:

    • Keep tweaking the products based on Claude’s suggestions?
    • Focus entirely on building an audience first?
    • Try completely different platforms?
    • Give everything away free to get feedback and testimonials?

    Drop a comment and let me know what you think. I’m genuinely curious about your take on this.

    P.S. – If you want to see the exact prompts I used with Claude for this analysis, or get a free copy of my mental health book to help with my feedback experiment, sign up for my blog updates. I share everything—the good, the bad, and the zero-sales ugly.

  • Part 3: Climbing Out

    From Survival Mode to Steady Ground

    After I left the night job, I thought things would finally settle down.

    No more energy drinks. No more dragging through the day like a zombie.

    But the truth was, my mind was still stuck in overdrive.

    Even though I’d gone back to working just my day job, I hadn’t adjusted my mindset or spending habits. I was still living like I had two incomes. I was buying out of impulse — small things here, big things there — and telling myself, “It’s okay, I work hard, I deserve it.”

    Except… I couldn’t afford it anymore.

    Not with only one paycheck.

    Mental Fog & Money Blind Spots

    What I didn’t realize right away was how much burnout affects your thinking.

    I wasn’t sleeping right. I couldn’t focus. I wasn’t budgeting. I wasn’t planning.

    I was trying to escape stress with spending — and it just made things worse.

    It wasn’t like I was blowing money on huge luxury items. It was the little things:

    Fast food, because I was too tired to cook. Random online purchases. Skipping bills for a week or two, thinking I’d “catch up” later.

    Next thing I knew, my bills exploded.

    Late fees. Overdrafts. Missed payments.

    I was watching my progress slip away, and it felt like I was losing control — again.

    Hitting Reset

    The real turning point wasn’t one big dramatic moment.

    It was a quiet realization: I couldn’t keep living like this.

    I sat down and started doing what I hadn’t done in a long time — looking at the numbers.

    I made a list of every bill I had. I pulled my credit report and checked my scores. I tracked what I was spending — not just rent and utilities, but the $7 here and $12 there that was eating me alive.

    It wasn’t pretty. But it was honest.

    And from there, I started building my bounce-back plan.

    Rebuilding Basics: What Actually Worked for Me

    I didn’t do anything flashy. I didn’t take a financial course or hire a coach.

    I went back to my personal motto: K.I.S.S. — Keep It Simple, Stupid.

    I was tired of overcomplicating things. I just needed to take small steps that I could stick to:

    1. Make a Realistic Budget

    I stopped trying to follow some perfect spreadsheet or “Instagram budget hack.”

    I made a list of what I actually spend and started trimming what I didn’t need — even if it was just $25 here and there.

    2. Stack Wins, Not Stress

    Instead of trying to pay off every debt at once, I picked one — the smallest one — and focused on that.

    When I paid it off, it gave me momentum to tackle the next one.

    3. Use Cash & Auto-Pay

    For things I kept forgetting (like subscriptions or utilities), I set them to autopay.

    For everything else, I started using cash again — yes, actual bills in my hand — to stay disciplined.

    4. Talk to My Wife About Everything

    This was a big one.

    We stopped hiding the stress from each other and started doing money check-ins.

    No judgment. Just, “Where are we at, and how can we fix it together?”

    Lessons Learned (the Hard Way)

    You can’t outrun burnout with hustle. You’ll crash eventually — and the recovery takes longer than you think. Having two jobs isn’t always worth it. Especially if it costs your peace, health, and family time. You don’t need more money. You need a better plan. The mindset matters more than the paycheck.

    Where I Am Now

    I’m not all the way back yet.

    But I’m standing on solid ground again.

    My credit’s rebuilding.

    My bills are getting paid — not all at once, but on time.

    And for the first time in a long time, I feel like I can breathe.

    I’m learning that life comes in waves — and climbing out doesn’t have to be fast, just forward.

    Coming soon: Part 4 — Money Talks & Lifestyle Traps

    How I’m learning to resist lifestyle creep and build a sustainable life I actually enjoy.

  • Part 2 of my “Learning AI for Real Results” series

    ChatGPT vs Claude: When Your Go-To AI Lets You Down

    The Problem That Started It All

    Picture this: You’re in the middle of creating your monthly affirmations booklet, ChatGPT has been your reliable companion for months, and then… it starts crawling. Loading forever. Timing out. Basically becoming unusable right when you need it most.

    That’s exactly what happened to me this week.

    After relying heavily on ChatGPT for everything from generating business ideas to helping write my mental health and finance books, suddenly my main AI tool was letting me down. I had prompts saved, workflows established, and a comfort level built up. Then technology reminded me why having backup plans matters.

    Enter Claude.

    First Impressions: Claude vs ChatGPT

    The Speed Factor
    While ChatGPT was struggling to load a simple response, Claude was lightning fast. No joke—responses that would take ChatGPT 30+ seconds (when it worked) were coming back from Claude in under 5 seconds.

    The Interface
    ChatGPT feels familiar after months of use, but Claude’s interface is cleaner, less cluttered. It’s like switching from a messy desk to a minimalist workspace—sometimes cleaner actually helps you think better.

    Response Quality
    This surprised me. I fed both AIs the same prompts (when ChatGPT was working), and Claude often gave more structured, actionable responses. Not always better, but different in a way that sometimes clicked better for my brain.

    Real-World Test: My Money-Making Prompts

    I’ve been collecting prompts about making money, side hustles, and business ideas in ChatGPT for weeks. Time to see how Claude handled the same requests.

    Test Prompt: “Give me 5 realistic ways to make $500 this month with skills I already have”

    ChatGPT’s Response: (When it loaded) Gave me the usual suspects—freelancing, tutoring, selling stuff online, gig work, etc. Good but generic.

    Claude’s Response: Asked me what skills I actually had first, then gave more targeted suggestions. More conversational, more personalized. It felt like talking to someone who was actually listening.

    The Workflow Disruption

    Here’s what nobody tells you about switching AI tools: Your workflow gets completely disrupted.

    All my saved ChatGPT conversations with prompts I’d refined? Gone. Well, not gone, but not accessible when ChatGPT is being slow. All those follow-up conversations where I’d built on previous ideas? Interrupted.

    With Claude, I’m starting from scratch. New conversation threads, new prompt refinements, rebuilding that context that made ChatGPT so useful for my specific projects.

    What This Means for My Digital Products

    Remember those products I mentioned—the ones with zero sales? I was planning to use ChatGPT to help me improve the product descriptions, create better marketing copy, and brainstorm ways to actually get some buyers.

    Now I’m testing whether Claude can pick up where ChatGPT left off.

    First experiment: I asked Claude to help me rewrite the description for my personal finance book. The result was more conversational and focused on the “why should you care” angle rather than just listing what’s in the book.

    Second experiment: Asked for 10 blog post ideas related to my mental health book. Claude gave me ideas that felt more authentic to my personal experience approach rather than generic self-help topics.

    The Honest Assessment

    Claude Wins:

    • Speed (obviously)
    • Cleaner interface
    • More conversational responses
    • Better at asking clarifying questions

    ChatGPT Still Has Advantages:

    • Months of conversation history
    • Refined prompts I’ve tested
    • Familiar workflow
    • Larger knowledge base for some topics

    The Reality:
    I probably need both. ChatGPT for when it’s working properly and I need that conversation history. Claude for when I need speed and fresh perspectives.

    What I’m Testing Next Week

    1. Can Claude help me finally get some sales? I’m going to ask it to analyze my current product listings and suggest improvements.
    2. Monthly affirmations project: Since ChatGPT died on me mid-project, can Claude pick up the pieces?
    3. Blog content creation: Which AI is better at helping me turn my experiences into engaging blog posts?

    The Bigger Lesson

    This whole situation reminded me of something important: Don’t put all your eggs in one AI basket.

    Just like you wouldn’t rely on one income source or one marketing channel, maybe we shouldn’t rely on one AI tool. Each has strengths, weaknesses, and apparently, technical issues that can leave you hanging.

    What’s your experience been? Have you tried multiple AI tools, or are you married to one like I was with ChatGPT?

  • Part 2: The Reality of Gig Work

    Burnout, Bad Managers, and Breaking Points

    I gave the gig apps a real shot. I signed up for Amazon Flex, but quickly hit a wall — they had a long waiting list, and I never got approved. Meanwhile, I kept checking Roadie, but even when I logged in at different times, I could never seem to grab a delivery. The competition was insane. This was right after the pandemic ended, and everyone was trying to make extra money, flooding the platforms with drivers.

    When I did the math, even the gigs I could have accepted didn’t make much sense financially. The wear and tear on my 2016 Ford Expedition, the gas, and the time just weren’t worth it. So I stopped depending on my car and shifted my focus.

    Enter the Night Shift

    Instead of delivery apps, I asked around. I talked to friends and family to see if anyone knew of part-time night jobs. That’s when my brother told me his grocery store was hiring for overnight shelf stockers. I applied, met with his boss, and she liked my enthusiasm. I was honest about my availability and that I had a full-time day job — she was cool with that.

    At first, it worked.

    I started working 11 PM to 4 AM, two to three nights a week. Sometimes I’d pick up an extra shift. The night manager and I had a good rhythm, and for a while, everything flowed.

    But then, things changed.

    The company rotated managers every few quarters, and a new night manager took over. He didn’t care about team flow or people’s situations — he just wanted to look good to upper management. At first, he started scheduling me for full 8-hour overnight shifts. I explained multiple times that this was a second job for me and I couldn’t work full-time nights and still function at my main job during the day.

    He didn’t care.

    He told me to update my availability in the system. When I asked how, he told me to “ask the day manager” — but I couldn’t talk to them because I was already working during the day. It felt like he was intentionally ignoring me, hoping I’d just quit.

    Instead, I pushed through.

    For months, I was working 40 hours at my day job and 30+ hours overnight. I was averaging 5 hours of sleep a week. I don’t even remember most of that year — birthdays, holidays, special moments with my wife, kids, and grandkids. It’s all a blur.

    😵‍💫 Total Burnout

    Eventually, it caught up with me.

    My mental health crashed. I was snappy, constantly tired, and had no control over where my money was going. You’d think with two jobs, I’d be saving money — but I wasn’t. I was too exhausted to budget, too foggy to plan. All the extra hours and stress led to bad decisions and impulse spending.

    One night, after blowing up at my wife for no real reason, I broke down. I turned off my alarm for the night shift — and never turned it back on. I didn’t call in. I didn’t give notice. I just quit.

    Was it the right way to leave? No. But I was completely drained. I was deep in a kind of burnout that most people don’t understand unless they’ve lived it. No sleep. No control. Just survival mode.

    At the time, I had just finished paying off my car loan and was about 5 months away from paying off a personal loan. I thought I could manage the bills with just my main job again.

    I was wrong.

    Aftermath & the Cost of Overworking

    Even after quitting the night job, the effects lingered. My judgment was off. My ability to plan, budget, or even think clearly was wrecked. I was still spending like I had two incomes, but only had one. I didn’t even realize how deep I was getting in until it was too late.

    The bills ballooned. My mental health tanked. And it took almost a full year for me to start feeling like myself again.

    Looking back, I know I got in over my head. I let survival mode take over, and I paid for it — financially, emotionally, and mentally. And the truth is, a lot of people are out there doing the same thing right now. Grinding day and night, trying to hold it all together.

    👉 Coming soon: Part 3 — Climbing Out

    How I started rebuilding from burnout and learning how to manage again

  • Starting My AI Journey: Learning, Failing, and Building Along the Way

    This is the first post in my “Learning AI for Real Results” series, where I document my actual experiences using AI tools to build a business, create content, and hopefully make some money along the way.

    Why I’m Starting This Series

    Here’s the truth: I’m not an AI expert. I’m not a tech guru with years of experience. I’m just someone who’s been experimenting with ChatGPT, tried out DeepAI, dabbled with Google’s tools, used Copilot a bit, and now I’m exploring Claude.

    And honestly? My results so far have been… mixed.

    I’ve created digital products—a couple of 50-page books on mental health and money management based on my personal experiences, some todo lists, and I’m working on monthly affirmation booklets. I’ve listed them on Gumroad, Etsy, and Redbubble.

    Sales so far: Zero.!!!

    But instead of seeing this as failure, I’m viewing it as the perfect opportunity to document a real AI learning journey. Not the glossy “I made $10K in my first month” stories you see everywhere, but the actual, messy, trial-and-error process of figuring this stuff out.

    What You Can Expect From This Series

    I’m going to share everything:

    • The Real Numbers: My actual results, including the failures
    • Tool Comparisons: How ChatGPT compares to Claude, which one works better for different tasks
    • Prompt Evolution: How my prompts improve over time (and the disasters along the way)
    • Behind-the-Scenes: The actual process of using AI to create, market, and sell digital products My Current AI Toolkit

    Right now, I’m working with:

    • ChatGPT (my most used, though it’s been running slow lately)
    • Claude (what I’m exploring now)
    • DeepAI (limited experience)
    • Google’s AI tools (occasional use)
    • Copilot (some experimentation)

    Each one has different strengths, and part of this journey is figuring out which tool works best for what.

    The Personal Touch

    What makes my approach different is that I’m not just creating generic “how to make money” content. My digital products are based on my actual experiences with money management and mental health. They’re not perfect, they’re not written by experts—they’re written by someone who’s figured some things out the hard way and wants to share what actually worked.

    That authenticity is exactly what I’m bringing to this AI journey too.

    What’s Coming Next

    In upcoming posts, I’ll be diving into:

    • Comparing how different AI tools handle the same money-making prompts
    • Real-time experiments with product improvement using AI
    • My attempt to use Claude to finally get some sales on those digital products
    • Honest reviews of which AI tools actually help vs. which ones just sound impressive Join Me on This Journey

    If you’re also trying to figure out how to actually make AI work for you (not just play with it), this series is for you. I’m learning as I go, making mistakes, and sharing everything I discover.

    Because sometimes the best teacher isn’t the expert who’s forgotten what it’s like to struggle—it’s the person just a few steps ahead of you, still figuring it out.

    What’s your experience with AI tools so far? Are you getting real results, or are you in the “still experimenting” phase like me?

    This is the beginning of my documented AI journey. Follow along as I test, fail, learn, and hopefully start making some actual progress. Next post: “Why ChatGPT is Running Slow and How Claude is Stepping Up.”

  • Real vs Real events remastered with A.I

    this is going to be a small post and a random one in the week but i feel like being honest with the viewers i have and the ones i am hopfully going to gain. at the moment I am writing a bunch of blog posts and i am also seeing what the A.I. systems are able to creat and or reword the posts i am working on. so you could say these are remaster by Ai like Chat GPT, Claude, and my other platform i have been using is Windows Copilot AI. i am wondering what do you like the raw ugly and open hearted posts i have been trying to learn and post about or the rewritten A.I. versions?

    I am going to try and schedual them on different days but that is something right now as a beginner is totally out of wack.

    Can you tell what posts were the real ones and the ones rewritten by A.I.? What do you think i should improve on?

  • Part 1: When One Job Isn’t Enough

    A Real-Life Look at Hustle, Gig Work, and Providing for Family

    At 32 years old, I was working full-time — 80+ hours every two weeks — and pulling in around $55,000 a year before taxes. Not a fortune, but we made it work. My wife was the real breadwinner for our household, and she also handled most of the fun stuff for the family — vacations, birthday parties, weekend outings. I was more of the “boring dad,” keeping things steady.

    But then life shifted. My wife was forced to change jobs, and her income was going to be cut. Suddenly, the pressure was on me to carry more of the financial load. I liked my main job — I work as a Sales Loan Associate, writing collateral loans, selling items, and handling cash. (If you haven’t guessed, I work in a pawn shop — one of the oldest professions around.) It’s a job that keeps me on my toes and lets me interact with all types of people and situations.

    But as much as I liked my day job, it wasn’t going to be enough on its own. I’d tried working multiple jobs in the past, and I’d also dipped my toe into the world of gig work — apps like DoorDash, Uber Eats, and others that send you a 1099 instead of a W-2. These jobs are technically self-employed work, which means you have to do your own taxes and set money aside before it even hits your bank account.

    I’d driven for DoorDash before, but honestly, I wasn’t a fan. The constant fast food runs and drive-thru waits didn’t appeal to me. But now, with my wife placed on medical leave and our household suddenly a one-income family, I was motivated to try again — and this time, I was determined to find something that fit.

    I came across a few new delivery apps I hadn’t used before:

    Amazon Flex Roadie (which I believe is now a FedEx subsidiary)

    The first time I opened Roadie, it was a Friday afternoon around 4 PM. There were two deliveries available — one paying about $11.30, another around $23. Not bad for quick runs at the end of the day.

    But of course, there were requirements. You need a valid driver’s license, a reliable vehicle, and the ability to lift and transport packages. I had all that. But when I checked the Roadie app again over the weekend, there were no deliveries. That’s when I realized Roadie probably follows a more traditional schedule — no weekend runs, likely because it’s connected to FedEx.

    I decided to give it a real shot — check it multiple times a week, get familiar with the app, and see if it could actually help bring in some money. The app was simple to use and walked you through each step, from pickup to delivery. Payment is supposed to land weekly, just like DoorDash.

    At that point, I hadn’t tried too many other gig platforms, but I was motivated. I wanted to see if I could grind away at the bills, save some money, and maybe even build some connections in the process. Gigs aren’t just side hustles — they can be opportunities to learn and grow. That was my hope, anyway.

    But that’s just the beginning of the story.

    Coming next: Part 2 — The Reality of Gig Work

    Why things didn’t go exactly as planned — and what I learned from it.

  • Post 2: From Debt to Keys – Building Credit the K.I.S.S. Way

    Once I got focused, my first real goal was to clean up my credit.

    I had some debts in collections, a few old accounts with bad marks, and only one thing in good standing — my student loans, which I always paid on time.

    To rebuild, I had to get back into debt — smart debt this time.

    Step 1: Secured Credit Card

    I saved up $500 and got a secured credit card through a credit union. That $500 became my credit limit. If I missed a payment, they’d keep the money. So I treated that card with respect. I charged small amounts and paid it off in full every month.

    Step 2: Store Credit Card

    After a few months, I applied for a store card. (Think Amazon, Forever 21, Victoria’s Secret — places where the card only works at that store.) I used it responsibly, paid it down fast, and kept my usage low.

    Those two lines of credit were small steps — but they were the foundation. Once they showed up on my credit report, more offers came in. But here’s where self-control comes in.

    Credit Cards Are Not Free Money

    Credit card companies want you to spend. They make money off your interest. Getting more offers in the mail doesn’t mean you should take them. It just means they see potential to profit off you.

    That’s why I stuck to my K.I.S.S. plan:

    Only use what I need. Pay it off fast. Avoid large balances. Keep the number of cards low.

    Self-control is hard when you see things you want or need, but you’ve got to remind yourself of the bigger goal.

    Milestones Take Time

    Buying a house isn’t easy. Before I could even think about getting a mortgage, I had to fix my credit, stay consistent, and be patient. It took years. I had to plan, budget, and stay disciplined.

    In the end, it paid off. I hit one of the biggest milestones in life — owning my own home — and I did it by keeping things simple and staying focused on what mattered most.

    🧠 Final Thought:

    If you’re starting from behind, just know that it is possible. It might take time. It might feel slow. But with some planning, patience, and a simple mindset, you can get there.

    Keep it simple. Keep it steady. And keep showing up.

  • Spinal Ridiculopathy 2: Three Years Later, Still Fighting

    Hey, I’m back — now three years into this journey with chronic back pain, and to be honest, not much has changed in terms of real relief. When I last wrote, I had just started a new medication: Low-Dose Naltrexone (LDN), 5mg — a modified version of a medication originally used for alcohol withdrawal.

    It’s been somewhat helpful, but accessing it isn’t easy. I have to order it from an out-of-state compounding pharmacy. It costs around $90 for a two-month supply — not terrible, but I still wonder if there’s a local pharmacy that could fill it for less hassle.

    The Daily Meds Routine

    Right now, here’s what I’m taking (and it feels like a full-time job just managing it):

    Ibuprofen 800mg Tylenol 500mg Meloxicam 15mg Pregabalin (Lyrica) 100mg Nortriptyline 50mg Duloxetine (Cymbalta) 30mg Low-Dose Naltrexone 5mg

    That’s a pretty serious cocktail for someone who’s only 34. But if you live with back pain, you get it. If you don’t — consider yourself lucky.

    Let me break it down:

    Ibuprofen, Meloxicam, and Tylenol are for inflammation and pain. Meloxicam is a long-term NSAID, while Ibuprofen is more for short-term flare-ups. Duloxetine helps with both anxiety and musculoskeletal pain — though if I didn’t have the pain, I doubt I’d need it. Pain and anxiety go hand in hand. Nortriptyline is technically an antidepressant, but it’s also prescribed for nerve and joint pain. Pregabalin (Lyrica) is a controlled substance — not sure exactly why, but I have to show ID every time I pick it up. Maybe it’s because it can affect your mood, and stopping it suddenly can be dangerous. And then there’s Low-Dose Naltrexone, which I’m still experimenting with. It’s supposed to reduce inflammation and pain by calming the nervous system over time — we’ll see.

    Even with all these meds, I still have bad pain days. So yeah… sometimes I question whether they’re working at all.

    Trying to Stay Active

    For about a year, I was working two jobs — my full-time day job and a second shift as a shelf stocker at a grocery store. That meant lifting boxes, walking miles, bending constantly, and being on my feet for hours.

    The upside? I lost weight. I dropped to around 185–190 lbs, which is right where the doctors wanted me in terms of BMI. (Though let’s be real — BMI is outdated and doesn’t factor in muscle, build, or chronic illness.)

    The downside? I was exhausted and still in chronic pain. I wasn’t sleeping enough, and my pain didn’t improve. In fact, it probably got worse from the strain. The doctors told me to stay active and stick to physical therapy — but some of the exercises just made the pain worse. So I stopped going. And guilt followed.

    Even at a healthy weight, with an active lifestyle, I still didn’t feel “better.” That’s the part people don’t get: weight loss helps, but it doesn’t fix chronic nerve pain.

    Quality of Life — What Does That Even Mean?

    All I’ve ever wanted is to live a normal life. To spend time with my wife and kids, to be the dad and granddad I want to be. But my “quality of life” has been on a slow, downward slide.

    I can’t lift like I used to. I can’t run. I can’t even really play with my grandkids. Something as simple as picking one of them up could trigger a flare-up in my back or leg — sometimes it feels like my leg might just give out. It’s heartbreaking.

    What do you say to a doctor without sounding like a pill-seeker? All you want is relief. Not to get high — just to feel normal. To be able to do basic things without your body screaming at you.

    Still Here, Still Trying

    This is where I’m at. Still managing. Still hurting. Still showing up.

    If you’re going through something similar, I see you. I know how isolating it can be to live with chronic pain that most people don’t understand. You’re not alone — and if nothing else, maybe this post helps remind you of that.

    Thanks for reading. Until next time.

  • How I Bought a House at 26 – Keep It Simple, Stupid (K.I.S.S.)

    Hey everyone — today I want to share how I managed to buy a house at just 26 years old. I didn’t come from money, didn’t have a trust fund, and definitely made a lot of mistakes early on. But with patience, a better mindset, and one simple phrase in mind — “Keep it simple, stupid” (K.I.S.S.) — I turned things around.

    Back in 2008, after I graduated high school, I moved to Sacramento for a technical school. I used credit cards, student loans, and grant money to survive — food, bills, rent, tuition. At the time, I was working at a fast food restaurant as a cook. Even when I became a night shift manager, it wasn’t enough to keep up.

    By the time I was 19, I was flunking out of school and already a few hundred dollars in debt. Add in a relationship that didn’t help my financial decisions, and it all spiraled quickly.

    A New Job, A Better Mindset

    Eventually, I got a better job — one with more stability and better pay — and started dating someone who helped me stay focused. That combination gave me the clarity I needed to start taking control of my money.

    Here’s the part they don’t teach you in school: To build credit, you need debt. And not just any debt — managed, responsible debt.

    But schools don’t show you how to budget, how to read a credit report, or how to recover from mistakes. I had to learn the hard way.

    So I adopted a mindset that helped me get through it:

    “Keep it simple, stupid.”

    No shame, no insults — just a reminder to myself not to overthink or make things harder than they need to be. Because when you overcomplicate things, you make dumb mistakes.

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