The Stratagem’s Archive

Category: blogging

  • Cold Turkey Dieting Doesn’t Work: Why Quitting Foods Without Replacement Backfires on Nutrition, Energy, and Habit Change

    Why Cold Turkey Dieting Backfires on Weight Loss and Fitness Goals

    It’s Easter Sunday. I’m at my grandma’s house for the first time in a while, and there’s a scale by the door.

    I step on it fully dressed—tank top, pullover, shorts, socks, phone in my pocket.

    150 pounds.

    My grandma tells me to remove my pullover and empty my pockets.

    147.

    That number sticks with me more than I want to admit.

    Later that day, I go home and look at my cabinet full of Nongshim and Buldak spicy noodles.

    That’s been my default food for a long time—quick, cheap, and familiar. But I started noticing problems: bloating, gas, constipation, and gradual weight gain from around 135 to 150 without really realizing it.

    So I made a decision.

    I got rid of all the noodles.

    No tapering. No replacement plan. No transition.

    Just cold turkey.

    At first, it felt like discipline and control—like I was finally fixing something.

    But within a week, everything changed.

    • I felt weaker.
    • More fatigued.
    • Work became harder.
    • My workouts dropped off.
    • My body felt flatter, like I had lost strength.

    That’s when I realized:

    I didn’t just remove food.

    I removed a major energy source without replacing it.

    My body didn’t see progress.

    It saw calorie and fuel deprivation.

    Why Cold Turkey Habit Change Fails in Dieting and Nutrition

    I’ve done this before with soda as a kid.

    When I quit cold turkey for 1 week(see a pattern), it backfired and led to bingeing later. What worked was gradual reduction over time. That’s why I haven’t had soda in nearly 20 years.

    So I don’t know why I didn’t apply that same principle here.

    But I didn’t.

    And I felt the consequences physically.

    Cold turkey sounds disciplined. It feels decisive.

    But without replacement, your body interprets it as:

    restriction, not improvement.

    And eventually, it pushes back.

    The Real Problem: Removing Food Without Replacing Nutrition

    This is what most people miss when trying to improve their diet or fitness:

    It’s not enough to remove “bad” foods.

    You have to replace what they were providing.

    In my case, spicy noodles weren’t just junk food. They provided:

    • calories
    • consistency
    • convenience
    • reliable energy during long work shifts

    When I removed them, I didn’t replace those needs with enough real food.

    So my energy dropped. My performance dropped. My mood followed.

    That wasn’t a discipline issue.

    That was a nutrition and fuel replacement issue.

    What Actually Works: Sustainable Diet Change Instead of Cold Turkey

    Instead of cold turkey dieting, what would have worked better is:

    • gradually reducing processed foods instead of eliminating them overnight
    • adding replacement meals before removing old ones
    • building consistent, repeatable nutrition habits

    Because long-term change only works when it’s sustainable.

    Simple Long-Term Foods I Can Actually Stick To

    I don’t need a perfect diet.

    I need a sustainable one.

    For me, that includes:

    • broccoli
    • cauliflower
    • mushrooms
    • soybeans
    • avocados
    • bananas
    • baby spinach
    • oats
    • rice
    • Any foods that I will likely eat and not waste.

    I don’t force myself to eat foods I hate. That’s a fast way to fail.

    I focus on foods I can realistically maintain long-term.

    Because consistency beats perfection in nutrition, weight loss, and fitness.

    Lesson for Anyone Trying to Change Eating Habits or Lose Weight

    If you’re yo-yoing between diets, restarting nutrition plans, or struggling with habit change:

    It’s not a discipline issue.

    It’s usually a replacement issue.

    You can’t remove habits your body relies on and expect stability without replacing them first.

    Your body doesn’t respond to intention.

    It responds to consistent fuel and structure.

    Final Thought: Sustainable Habit Change Over Cold Turkey Dieting

    I’m not trying to punish myself into better health anymore.

    I’m trying to learn how to actually support my body while improving it.

    And that means:

    Don’t just remove habits.

    Build replacements that last.

    If This Resonated With You

    If you’ve struggled with cold turkey dieting, weight loss cycles, or trying to “fix” your habits only to fall back into old patterns—you’re not alone.

    I’ve also created two fitness PDFs where I go deeper into my training, habits, and the systems I’ve built around self-improvement and consistency.

    No shame. No guilt. Only human effort around constraints.

    If this post resonated with you, share with someone you know is in the same boat, or you feel like someone finally put your experience into words, don’t forget to like, subscribe, or share around.

    You can tap the Tiny Wave button to let me know if you understand the struggles of making healthier choices.

    It links to my Ko-fi, where you can support the Archives or simply show that this perspective helped you.

    Either way, it means a lot to know someone out there understands this too.

    Tiny Wave 👋

    Thank you again, and I’ll see you all in the Archives later.

    Explore The Archives:

  • Take Control When Adults Don’t Listen: Lessons from the Rage Room

    When Adults Forget the Rules

    Working in a rage room is unpredictable.

    People come in to let off steam, but sometimes they forget that rules still apply.

    That night, a group of adults ignored my instructions entirely. I had told them their time was up. I made eye contact, warned them, and walked away.

    They slammed their weapons against the metal anyway.

    It was infuriating—but it taught me a critical lesson: how to handle adults who can act like overgrown children.

    And when this happens, you need a method to reclaim control.

    Using Controlled Force

    In a noisy environment like the rage room, yelling doesn’t always work. So I used controlled force: I firmly pounded my fist against the door to reinforce my presence, signaling they needed to pay attention, then entered the room.

    When I asked them again if they were done, and they said yes, I moved them out of the room.

    Simple, firm, non-negotiable.

    It wasn’t aggression, not in a visceral sense—it was clarity, presence, and boundaries in action.

    If you’re like me and are learning to set boundaries and be firm as an adult, then know it will feel uncomfortable at first, but it is a necessary muscle that needs exercising.

    Lessons You Can Apply

    • Be clear with your instructions: People often ignore rules because they think someone else will enforce them.
    • Use presence over physical force: You don’t need to tap anyone’s shoulder to be taken seriously. Body position, gestures, and a calm, firm voice go a long way.
    • Assert your boundaries: You don’t need to explain, apologize, or justify. Enforcement is the signal people respond to.
    • Learn from one-off experiences: That night was a one-off, but they are bound to repeat. Learning now equips you for similar situations.

    These are skills I practiced in real time—calm authority, controlled force, and follow-through—and they can apply anywhere you face disregard.

    Take Action Today

    Next time someone ignores your instructions or crosses boundaries, try controlled presence:

    • Stand in a visible position.
    • Use deliberate gestures to signal attention.
    • Speak clearly and firmly.
    • Follow through without apologizing or overexplaining.

    This works in high-stress jobs, meetings, or even day-to-day interactions where people try to push you around.

    Apply This Now

    Have you ever had to assert control when someone ignored the rules?

    Try using controlled force method, share your story in the comments below. If you found this post helpful, feel free to like it, share it, or hit the wave button to support the archives!

    Tiny Wave 👋

    Want To Explore More Rage Room Takes?

    Below you can explore with me how rage rooms can be an essential tool to our mental health and how they become a place where people leave their mark in plain sight.

    Become a Fellow Archivist

    Overthinking isn’t a problem here—it’s fuel.

    The Stratagem’s Archive is where restless minds turn curiosity into action. Subscribers—our Fellow Archivists—get access to:

    • Practical guides and experiments: From fitness flows to financial planning, video game strategy to online safety, try exercises and tools that work in real life.
    • Insights you won’t find elsewhere: Lessons from life, games, and experiments distilled so you can learn without getting stuck in endless thinking.
    • A space to explore, not perform: No pressure. No judgment. Just a living archive for discovery.

    If you’ve ever felt like you’re spinning your wheels, this is your chance to turn your energy into something worth exploring.

    Join the Archive today—become a Fellow Archivist and start experimenting with your curiosity.

    Not Convinced? Start Here

  • Stop the Spiral: How Writing Turns Overthinking into Action

    Writing Made Space to Think, Not Spiral

    It’s tough being a chronic overthinker.

    Your mind is anxious.

    Thoughts feel endless—until you write them down.

    Writing makes space.

    Mental spirals were never in charge.

    You were.

    Overthinking convinced you otherwise.

    The Struggle To “Write What I Mean”

    Writing wasn’t something that came naturally.

    Everything I wrote came from how I felt.

    It started as a way to process grief, then became how I expressed myself.

    150 posts later, and my work felt empty.

    Staring at a blank page didn’t magically fill it with words.

    My writing had to change.

    That meant trying something new.

    How I Started Changing Writing Directions With Copywriting

    Improving my writing was intimidating.

    Years of writing a certain way felt comfortable.

    But if I wanted to grow my blog, I had to push myself.

    I started using prompts—not the ones from WordPress Reader, but the classic “sell me this pen” kind.

    I enjoy storytelling, but like modern movies, my writing had too many extra words.

    Here’s a prompt I tried with ChatGPT to sell Bloodborne:

    “Become a real life Van Helsing with Bloodborne.

    Hunt in a gothic Victorian era with monsters, mobs, and a beast plague rolled into one.

    Want to experience what H.P. Lovecraft feared?

    Insight lets you see the Eldritch horrors in Yharnam.

    You will lose your mind long before you end their lives.

    Bloodborne—be the hunter you dreamed of becoming.”

    According to ChatGPT, this could be tighter. Here’s a revised version:

    “Step into the shoes of a real-life Van Helsing with Bloodborne.

    Hunt in a gothic Victorian world filled with monsters, mobs, and plague.

    Dare to see what H.P. Lovecraft feared?

    Experience the Eldritch horrors of Yharnam.

    Your mind will shatter long before your enemies do.

    Bloodborne—become the hunter you’ve always dreamed of.”

    Now, this would convince me to play.

    This Was How I Needed to Change My Writing

    Every prompt started messy—but progress was emerging.

    The shift? Write as a reader, not a blogger.

    Ask yourself: What would actually convince someone to care?

    That uncomfortable feeling—you’ve done everything right:

    Write. Revise. Publish.

    …and still feel behind.

    Yeah, it’s brutal.

    If you want to get better, you need two things: practice and exposure.

    Keep writing—and let your work be judged.

    Without writing, there’s nothing to judge.

    Without judgment, your work doesn’t grow.

    No judgment. No growth.

    Your Turn: A Prompt to Try

    Want to practice what I just shared? Try this:

    Prompt: “Sell me your favorite game, hobby, or skill in 4–5 sentences. Focus on why you love it—and why someone else should too.”

    Post it in the comments below, or write it in your own journal. Share your struggles, your wins, and what surprised you about your own writing.

    Enjoyed this post?

    Like, subscribe, and share with a friend who overthinks everything.

    Comment your prompt attempt below—I’d love to see what you create.

    Your restless mind is welcome here. Keep writing. Keep exploring.

    Explore The Archives

    If this post helped you think, smile, or overthink a little less, feel free to give a tiny wave. Your support keeps the archives alive!

    Tiny Wave 👋

    Want to see what those 150 articles hold? Get firsthand experience what an overthinking mind is capable of. Visit The Stratagem’s Archive: Start Here homepage for more posts.

    I’ve also written about:

  • Staying Safe in Extreme Weather: When Work Keeps Calling

    When Work Won’t Close For Your Safety

    Have you ever been trapped in a storm, sitting in your car, gripping the wheel so tight it feels like your knuckles might explode, thinking, “I could be anywhere else right now—safely”?

    That was me at 4:30 a.m., driving through torrential rain, lightning flashing 18 times since I parked, and wind so strong it felt like it might push me off the road.

    Heavy rain, high winds, and floods had been battering our island for over a week. Sure, we need the rain to keep the greenery alive—but Mother Nature was working overtime.

    I work in a warehouse, and part of my job means hauling freight from the yard into the building. In ideal conditions, that’s fine. But today? Not so much.

    By the ninth lightning flash, one of them was so bright I felt momentarily blinded. Luckily, the road was straight and empty—but it made me think: why do jobs expect us to risk ourselves in conditions like this?

    Why Am I Working During a Storm?

    Simple question. Complicated answer.

    I can’t afford to look for another job right now.

    Life throws curveballs—rising rent, bills, fractured sleep, and jobs that expect you to treat your safety like an optional bonus. My assets are already set to go to my parents if something happens. Because nothing says “good morning” like questioning your mortality at 4:30 a.m., right?

    I’d love to work from home, write, or do something dry and safe. But my current job literally pays me to work out—just not under these conditions.

    So the goal for today? Survive. And maybe, just maybe, make it home in one piece.

    The Reality of Hazard Pay—or the Lack Thereof

    A little extra compensation in extreme weather would be nice. Even if it only happened once in a while, it would show management that they value our safety. But wishful thinking aside, the storm doesn’t care about your paycheck—it’s just going to keep raining. And we just keep working.

    If You Made It to the End

    Thanks for reading my work rant.

    Most of us have had days when we’d rather be anywhere else than at work—especially in extreme weather.

    And while this is my personal experience, the underlying reality touches many: jobs sometimes expect us to treat ourselves as invincible.

    If this story resonates, feel free to like, comment, subscribe, or share with someone else questioning why they’re out in the storm.

    What’s the worst weather you’ve had to work through?

    Explore The Archives

    I write about more than just questioning my life choices at 4 a.m.

    You’ll find posts on:

    Feel free to explore the archives or check out some of my other posts.

    Otherwise, I’ll see you all after I survive Mother Nature—and my job’s decision to stay open, rain or shine.

    Wish me luck.

    Update: Mother Nature is Off The Clock

    Never mind. I woke up earlier this morning, the rain had settled, the clouds were slowly dispersing, the sun was slowly peaking through the haze, and now it is hot!

    Like clothes sticking to your skin uncomfortably hot.

    At least I don’t have to worry about getting struck by lightning or drenched to the bone in the torrential rain anymore.

  • Coke vs. 9-Month-Old Calcium Deposits — And I’m Feeling Hopeful

    When Baking Soda and Vinegar Just Aren’t Enough

    If you read Part 1 of my cleaning misadventures with my toilet, then you know my 9-month-old toilet calcium build-up laughed in my face while I tried baking soda and vinegar.

    For weeks, I sprinkled, poured, scrubbed, waited, and scrubbed some more.

    Spoiler alert: nothing changed.

    The white chalky ring mocked me like it had tenure.

    Being cheap, living alone, and already battling the tiny apartment smell cave I call my studio, I didn’t want to risk harsh chemicals. I don’t want the smell of bleach or acid lingering in my bedding for days like when I cleaned the bathtub with Fabuloso. So, I went old-school with good old fashioned Coca-Cola.

    Coca-Cola to the Rescue?

    Here’s what I did:

    • First soak: Poured 3–4 8 oz cups of Coke into the bowl, let it sit for 25 minutes, scrubbed for 5 minutes.
    • Second soak: Reapplied Coke, let it sit 15 minutes, scrubbed for 5. Then… I kept going. Another 5 minutes. And again. And again.

    I lost count of how many 5-minute sets I did, but my arms and shoulders felt it. Honestly, I added 5 sets of 5 minutes to my exercise log—so technically, cleaning a stubborn toilet can be considered exercising too.

    My iPhone timer went off so many times that I felt like I was trapped in some sadistic cleaning version of Groundhog Day.

    Progress You Can Actually See Under The Calcium Deposits

    After multiple rounds of soaking and scrubbing: The chalky calcium was finally coming off.

    The stubborn deposits felt grainy under the brush, but the porcelain underneath was smooth again. Most of the ring was gone.

    Not 100%, but enough that I can finally see light at the end of this toilet nightmare tunnel.

    Finishing Touches

    Once I flushed away the Coke (no bug metropolis on my watch), I added Fabuloso for a clean finish. Smelled nice. Felt nice. And most importantly, my toilet finally felt like it belonged in a clean home, not a chemistry experiment gone rogue.

    The Verdict

    Coke gave me hope. Baking soda and vinegar? Not even a little. If you’re like me—cheap, living alone, not about to inhale harsh chemicals in your tiny studio—this might actually work for you.

    The calcium isn’t completely gone yet, but I think I can finally hit the 1-year mark of living on my own with a clean toilet. And maybe, just maybe, I’ll stop feeling personally attacked by my own plumbing.

    If I feel up to it, then I might as well go hunting for lemon juice, or buy lemons, next week to see if citrus might help finish what the Coke started wearing down. Otherwise, I’ll just update things here.

    If You’re in the Same Boat

    I know I’m not the only one who’s stared at a toilet like it’s judging them. If you’re frustrated by stubborn calcium, hate harsh chemicals, and don’t want to spend a fortune on “miracle cleaners,” give this method a shot.

    Like, subscribe, or share this with someone who’s fed up with vinegar and baking soda being the only solutions outside of harsh chemicals.

    You can even click this little button here so I can know a person visited and found this bathroom ordeal as stupid as I did.

    Found This Helpful (or Hilarious?)

    • Leave a thumbs up 👍 (I dare you!)
    • Leave a hey in the comments below
    • Or click on the tiny wave button below.
    Tiny Wave 👋

    You can even click this little button so I can know a person visited and found this bathroom ordeal as stupid as I did.

    Thank You For Spending Time With The Archives

    If you made it all the way to the end of this post, then feel free to check out my other DIY projects I tackled so far. You could even read more on part one where I bash on baking soda and vinegar being the “miracle cleaner” that doesn’t work below.

    I also write about other topics—personal fitness, using video game logic IRL, personal finances, and AI with online safety—that might pique your curiosity.

    I also have 7 free downloadable PDFs you can check out the full list below if life feels crushing, but you’re still moving regardless.

    Thank you again. I hope to see you all in the next DIY project that comes my way. Until next time, The Archives will now be closing.

    Explore The Stratagem’s Archives

  • Why Baking Soda and Vinegar Didn’t Remove My Toilet Calcium Stains — My 9-Month Struggle To a Clean Toilet

    I moved into my first ever studio apartment nearly 9 months ago. For the first 6 months, I didn’t clean my toilet at all. I only focused on cleaning my shower and sink.

    My toilet? Shit out of luck.

    However, by the time I actually looked at it, the white above the waterline had started turning grey. Weird, ugly, and stubborn — just the way I like my problems to test my patience.

    Turns out, that ugly grey stains are called calcium deposits.

    They remind me of plaque, but for toilets—stubborn and brushing isn’t enough to get your teeth clean. We need to floss, mouthwash, rinse and repeat this process somehow.

    Because calcium deposits are ugly, can damage my toilet, and cost me way more financially than a very upset stomach after eating Taco Bell’s.

    THEY. NEED. TO. GO!

    So, I tried the obvious solution: baking soda and vinegar. Thankfully, I already had these on hand.

    Spoiler alert: it didn’t work…

    The Baking Soda + Vinegar Saga

    I’ve been scrubbing this toilet like it personally offended me, every week, for the last 5–6 weeks.

    I sprinkled baking soda, poured vinegar over it, let it sit 20–30 minutes, and then scrubbed for 5–10 minutes, iPhone timer in hand.

    Guess what? Nothing. Nothing changed. The calcium deposits were still there, looking the same, mocking me with every scrub of my very firm bristled toilet scrubber.

    I even tried just baking soda on its own last week. Covered the entire bowl, left it for more than an hour because I got distracted, then scrubbed for 5–10 minutes… and it still looked the same.

    Like, what the fuck? My eyes aren’t broken — the calcium is just a stubborn little bastard that refuses to quit.

    Guess what? So am I—stubborn as hell and refusing to quit.

    Why This Method Doesn’t Work (For Long-Standing Buildup)

    Here’s the deal: baking soda + vinegar only works if you’re an OCD-level clean freak who never lets deposits form in the first place.

    I’m not.

    My toilet has been living its best 9-month uncleaned life, and now it’s punishing me. The consequences of my own actions are haunting me.

    Also, harsh chemicals are out of the question for me. My bed is literally in front of my bathroom. I don’t want to sleep in chemical fumes for days like I did when I cleaned the bathtub with Tropical Spring Fabuloso.

    Nice smell, yes, but still too strong for my tiny space.

    What I’m Going to Try Next

    Since baking soda and vinegar failed miserably, even after repeated failures but apparently I’m insane, my next experiments are going to use a few liter bottles of Coke and lemon juice. That’s right — I’m not giving up yet.

    I’m stubborn, pissed off, and determined to figure this out without resorting to harsh chemicals.

    Consider this Part 1 of my saga. Part 2 will cover the results of these experiments: which method finally gets this calcium out, and whether any of it is worth trying for your own toilet nightmares.

    If You’re Fed Up Too

    I know I can’t be the only one who’s stared at a toilet like it’s mocking them. If you’re just as tired of half-assed advice, if baking soda + vinegar isn’t cutting it for you either, you’re not alone. This is a space to vent, experiment, and maybe even finally get results.

    Leave a comment, like, or share this around if you’ve had your own calcium showdown or know someone going through the same frustrations.

    I want to hear how furious, stubborn, or creative you’ve gotten trying to deal with it, and what finally got through your own toilet demons.

    You can even do it anonymously, without a WordPress account, or even a thumbs up emoji to say, “I’m fed up with the consequences of my own actions, but got through them anyways.”

    Or if this made you let out a short, “heh,” at the ridiculousness of the situation or because my frustration made you not think about your problems for a second, that thumbs-up emoji can be used for that too.

    Call to Action

    If you’re fed up with stubborn calcium like I am and want to support me testing weird home remedies (Coke, lemon juice, and whatever else), you can drop a dollar by clicking this tiny wave button of encouragement below. Every bit helps me keep testing these ridiculous toilet demons so you don’t have to!

    Tiny Wave 👋

    Stay tuned for Part 2: the experiments with Coke and lemon juice, because I’m not letting this calcium win. And if you’ve got a method that works, I want to hear it. Let’s finally beat our bathroom nightmares together.

    Explore The Archives For More DIY Issues I’ve Tackled So Far

  • 2013 Dodge Dart Front Turn Signal Not Working? Here’s How I Fixed Mine

    Quick Summary: Dodge Dart Turn Signal Fix

    If your 2013 Dodge Dart front turn signal is blinking rapidly, it usually means 1 of 3 things:

    • A bulb is burnt out
    • The bulb is loose
    • There is corrosion on the socket

    Quick Fix Steps

    • Open the hood
    • Locate the turn signal housing
    • Twist the bulb counterclockwise
    • Check for corrosion
    • Confirm you have the correct double-filament bulb
    • Clean the socket if needed
    • Reinstall and test

    If that doesn’t work, you may need a replacement bulb or require professional help to fix this issue.

    When You’ve Been Putting Off Repairs, You Start DIYing Things Yourself

    So, I have a 2013 Dodge Dart, a car that’s been discontinued for years, and I had been putting off fixing my car’s front left turn signal blinker light.

    Whenever I would signal that I was turning, I would hear an annoying rapid clicking sound.

    My rear blinker light still worked. However, my front left blinker was the problem; people wouldn’t know if I was turning if we were facing each other until I was turning.

    It’s not safe playing chicken with oncoming traffic like that.

    I didn’t have enough money to pay for professional help or the time to go to a mechanic shop, and I figured that I could treat this problem like an oil change—change it myself.

    It’s a small light, but driving without it made me feel unsafe and frustrated every time I hit the blinker.

    I knew I could pay a mechanic when I had the money, but I wanted to try fixing it myself—and maybe save some cash and time in the process.

    Disclaimer: I Am Not A Mechanic

    I am not a mechanic and I’m not formally trained to diagnose automobile issues.

    I didn’t go to a shop because I didn’t have the time or money, so I troubleshot the problem myself and figured it out along the way.

    Here’s what I learned by fixing my own blinker light.

    Tools To Have On Hand to Change Your Blinker Light

    Before I tackled my blinker light on my own, I made sure that I had a few things on hand:

    • My phone (for YouTube guidance)
    • Spare gloves (keeps my hands clean)
    • A multi-tool (for leverage or prying)
    • A flashlight (for hard to reach spots)
    • And spare blinker bulbs (ESSENTIAL!!!)

    The gloves helped to keep my hands clean from directly touching whatever I would find under my hood.

    My multi-tool would be handy just in case I needed leverage.

    A flashlight to see better where broad daylight might not shine in the right spots.

    And you can’t change your blinkers without spare bulbs.

    My Step-By-Step Process to Avoid Spending 2 Hours on a 5 Minute Problem

    We have our tools.

    We know what problem needs fixing.

    Now we can get started.

    First thing you need to do is pop open the hood. The blinkers are accessible underneath the hood of the car, not from the blinkers themselves in the front.

    Next step is to open YouTube to troubleshoot the problem. I watched a YouTube video from Electrical Car Repair LIVE, called, “DODGE DART FRONT TURN SIGNAL LIGHT BULB REPLACEMENT AND SIZE.”

    I followed the video, found where the blinkers are housed, then I pulled the blinkers bulb out by twisting counterclockwise and out of its housing.

    My bulb wasn’t burnt out, but I found white residue along the base of the bulb and on the socket. That’s corrosion and oxidation of the metal. It’s supposed to be normal, but take my word with a large sack of salt.

    With my glove and multi-tool, I had spent more than 10 minutes trying to pry my blinker bulb out without cracking the bulb or damaging the socket.

    I had used a dull knife from my multi-tool to gently scrap the corrosion off of the bulb and the socket, pulling and jiggling it, to loosen.

    When the bulb came free, I kept it just in case. I had 2 replacement bulbs in my car, so it should have been an easy fix, right?

    Not for me.

    I had spent 2 hours fighting with my replacement bulbs because they wouldn’t set into the socket. It would go in half-way, then it would fall out.

    Let me show you what happened to one of my replacement bulbs.

    My 2013 Dodge Dart’s front headlight with the ill-fitted replacement bulb sitting in the crevices and not in the socket. it fell out because I wasn’t paying attention.

    The reason why I had spent 2 hours fighting with my replacement bulbs was, not because of the corrosion or that my bulb socket was damaged, because my replacement bulbs were single prong filaments.

    My Dodge used double prong filament bulbs.

    I even called my dad—not for answers, just to talk—and he asked, “Did you check the bulb?” I hadn’t. That simple question saved me hours if I had thought of it earlier.

    Since I didn’t have the correct replacements, and my original bulb wasn’t burnt out and it was covered in corrosion, I used my gloves and the dull knife to scrape off the white substance to ensure conductivity was possible again.

    Thankfully, it worked out.

    Once the corrosive matter was cleaned from the bulb and the socket, I fit my existing bulb back into its socket, turned my car on, and turned my blinker on.

    No rapid clicking!

    My blinker was safely working again.

    Now, I don’t have to play chicken with oncoming traffic anymore.

    What is The Moral of this Story?

    The moral of the story is to make sure you pay attention; had I noticed such small, but significant, detail sooner, I wouldn’t have a stuck bulb in my headlights.

    Most bulbs look very similar when you don’t have prior knowledge and have numbers on them; each car takes a different bulb, like how certain things take certain battery types. I was forcing a D-battery into a C-port.

    The next time my front turn signal is in need of a new bulb, now I know which I would need to grab instead of grabbing anything and hoping for the best.

    Final Thoughts

    Fixing my turn signal took me about two hours, mostly because I didn’t realize my replacement bulbs were the wrong type. If I had checked the bulb type first, this probably would have been a five-minute job.

    Still, I’m glad I tried fixing it myself.

    I saved money, learned something about my car, and now I know exactly what kind of bulb my Dodge Dart needs the next time this happens.

    Sometimes small problems look bigger than they really are. With a little patience, a flashlight, and a YouTube video or two, you might be able to solve them yourself.

    And if not, at least you’ll understand the problem better before taking it to a mechanic.

    If This Helped You

    If this post helped you fix your turn signal—or at least helped you troubleshoot the problem—feel free to share it with someone else who might be dealing with the same issue.

    I also write about DIY fixes, personal training over 280 weeks, personal finances on a $40K salary, and figuring things out through trial and error and a hint of stubbornness.

    So if that’s your kind of thing, you can explore more posts here on The Stratagem’s Archive.

    If you enjoy posts like this and want to help fund future experiments, troubleshooting guides, and DIY attempts, you can tap the little wave button below to visit my Ko-fi page.

    Tiny Wave 👋

    I currently support the blog myself, but outside support is always appreciated.

    Plus, it helps me to see if people dropped by and visited the archives, instead of bots doing their jobs and indexing.

    Either way, thanks for reading—and drive safe.

    One Last Thing

    Have you ever tried fixing something on your car that should have taken five minutes… but ended up taking two hours?

    Or have you run into the same issue with the wrong type of bulb?

    Feel free to share what happened in the comments or share anonymously by clicking on the Tiny Wave button above. I’d be curious to hear how other people solved it.

    Explore More DIY Articles Below

    Explore The Stratagems Archive Here

  • When Your Blog Isn’t Getting Reads (And Why Checking Stats Won’t Help)

    When You Care About Your Projects, But Your Work Often Meets Silence

    Let me tell you something. Something I’ve brushed up against, felt doubt creeping into my thoughts, and wanting to slam my keyboard into the nearest wall.

    I hate writing.

    I hate writing because I always check my emails, my blog and Ko-fi stats like a tweaker, convinced that the numbers will change from 0 to 1 if I keep opening the apps every 2 seconds.

    Human or Bot? When Signals Aren’t Clear Cut

    It gets worse whenever you can’t tell the difference between a human dropping in or a bot doing its job.

    That ambiguity is poison for my spiral, because I can’t tell if my work is being seen or if it’s just the digital equivalent of a tumbleweed rolling past.

    That’s why I try to leave tiny signals—like my little wave buttons.

    A click isn’t required; it’s optional, and it’s a subtle way for a human to say, “I saw you. I’m here. I get it.”

    It’s a breadcrumb for both you and me.

    For me, it’s proof that someone—anyone—could be reading, reacting, thinking, or feeling along with me. For the reader, it’s permission to exist quietly without having to shout “like” or “share.”

    Even if no one ever clicks those buttons, the act of putting them there matters. It’s a reminder that connection doesn’t always need validation, and that my work, my voice, my little archive of thoughts—it can exist, quietly, for the people who stumble across it.

    When Reality is Messy, And So is The Internet

    Maybe today it’s zero views. Maybe tomorrow someone reads the whole post without a single click.

    That’s okay. The signal is still there.

    And when they don’t?

    Well… I stew.

    I spiral.

    I ask myself why I even bother. Who am I even writing for if the silence is deafening?

    Here’s the thing: silence doesn’t mean your work is worthless.

    It doesn’t mean no one will ever see it.

    It just means that the internet is messy, chaotic, and way too big for anyone to stumble across your little corner right away.

    I know this from first-hand experience.

    When You Write to Fit In, You Lose Your Will to Create

    When I started writing on WordPress/Jetpack, I relied on WordPress Reader and their daily prompts to get people to check out my blog.

    After a few months of writing to answer someone else’s questions, I felt as though I wasn’t writing authentically for myself and made the decision to ignore the daily prompts and write about the things I wanted to write about instead.

    Sure, I lost a lot of views, visits, and likes by making this choice to move away from Reader.

    However, despite my blog being quiet most of the time or found by the few people who were curious enough to read my works anyways—even though I’m not a guru, I’m not an expert, I’m not a professional writer, I don’t provide listicles, and I don’t write motivational or positivity porn—I chose my own poison of creativity instead of someone else’s.

    That’s Why I Keep Writing Anyways.

    Not because I’m going to blow up overnight, not because I’m chasing clout, and definitely not because I think anyone needs my words.

    I write because if I don’t, I rot a little on the inside.

    I write because I need a record of me trying.

    Me experimenting.

    Me surviving.

    Sometimes the numbers do tick up. Sometimes someone reads a post months later and clicks “like” or downloads a PDF. Most of the time, nothing happens. And that’s fine. The work exists anyway. I exist anyway.

    If you care too much about your stats, your audience, your numbers—you’re going to hurt yourself. Stop checking every hour. Stop thinking your work’s value is measured by the tiny numbers in a corner of a screen.

    Write. Experiment. Fail. Reflect. Repeat. Keep your corner of the internet messy and alive, because eventually—even if no one notices—it’s a little bit of proof that you were here, trying, and refusing to be erased by silence.

    If You Made It to the End

    Thanks for reading all the way through. I support this work myself, but if you found these words meaningful or just wanted to let me know a human was here, you can tap the tiny wave button below.

    Tiny Wave 👋

    It’s completely optional, no pressure—it just lets me know someone saw the work and understood, even a little, the weight of trying to create while the world often stays quiet.

    Even a like, share, and subscribe tells me a person found value here too.

    Explore The Archives Below

    I’ve written more about this uncomfortable feeling because I believe that it doesn’t completely leave you alone, no matter where you are in life.

    Not when your work is quiet, and not when you suddenly “make it.” It morphs into something that makes you sit and doubt yourself, no matter what you do, but it also keeps you on your toes.

    If you have a break, below are related articles to check out and my homepage to see what else the Archives has to offer.

  • My Personal Experiment with Primal Queen: My 4-Month Update Review

    Disclaimer: I’m Not a Medical Professional — Just Sharing My Experience

    I’ve been taking Primal Queen for about 4 months now. As I mentioned in my previous posts, this is not a silver bullet, I’m not a medical professional, and I’m not using this supplement as a replacement for sleep, nutrition, or exercise. Life has been chaotic, and my routine is… well, let’s just say “imperfect”:

    I don’t always sleep enough or consistently.

    I stay up late far too often.

    I love sweets more than I love vegetables.

    I work out 2–3 times a week while juggling two jobs.

    My energy levels, mood, and days off are all over the place.

    Basically, I’m not exactly a poster child for “ideal supplement results.”

    And that’s okay.

    Why I Started Taking Primal Queen

    The primary reason I started taking it — aside from my Ma’s recommendation — was for my menstrual cycles.

    I wanted something that might help regulate them, reduce bloating, and make my cramps more manageable.

    No illusions here: I wasn’t expecting to suddenly climb walls like Toby McGuire’s Spider-Man (I still have my astigmatism with 19/19 vision and slightly bent glasses, and I still struggle to lift heavy awkward freight at work without feeling winded).

    But I figured, maybe it could help me function a little better during my cycle, which is already a huge quality-of-life improvement.

    What’s Changed After 4 Months

    Here’s what I’ve noticed since starting Primal Queen:

    • Cycle consistency: My period now lasts 5 days every time, with roughly 21-day gaps between cycles.
    • Bloating: Reduced significantly — I’m not waddling around like a balloon by day 2 anymore.
    • Cramps: Down to a 1–2 on the pain scale, manageable enough that I can still go about my day.
    • Flow: Less heavy, no worrying about leaks — practical wins for real life.
    • Mood: Irritable when I have to do things I don’t want to do, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t always a little irritable anyway.

    Even on days when I haven’t eaten enough, slept enough, or exercised, which is often, I can still notice these improvements.

    That’s the biggest surprise. It doesn’t magically fix everything, but it gives my body a little more support to handle the chaos.

    What Hasn’t Changed

    I’m still working two jobs, working long shifts, sweating in Hawaii heat while wearing pants and a pullover because I’m a psychopath.

    My strength and stamina are still a far cry from superhero threat levels.

    My eyesight is the same — sadly, no Marvel-level upgrade here.

    But that’s okay.

    I didn’t start this expecting Spider-Man improvements. I started it to take care of myself in one tiny, practical way, and that’s exactly what it’s doing.

    Key Takeaways

    1. Supplements aren’t magic — your daily habits, stress, sleep, and diet still matter.

    2. Even with imperfect routines, small improvements can make a big difference.

    3. Tracking your results (even humorously, like my Spider-Man comparisons) helps you notice subtle wins.

    4. Consistency matters more than perfection — taking it “mostly every day” is enough to see changes.

    Optional Reflection

    • What small improvements in your routine have made the biggest difference for you?
    • Have you tried supplements in a chaotic life?
    • What results actually mattered?
    • How do you measure your “wins” when your life is messy?

    If You Made It to the End

    Hey, thanks for sticking with me all the way through! I put this work out there for myself, but it means a lot when someone actually reads it.

    If you’d like to show you were here and get what I mean about juggling life, cycles, and experiments, tap the Tiny Wave button below.

    Tiny Wave 👋

    No pressure at all — supporting the Archives is completely optional. Even a small click tells me a real person stopped by and that these reflections land with someone.

    If not, feel free to like, subscribe, or share this post if it resonates with you or reminded you of someone doing a similar personal experiment.

    Check Out My Other Primal Queen Posts

    Explore The Archives Here

    The best place to start anything is from the beginning. Below you can check out my start here page, explore whichever articles peak your curiosities—from personal finances on a low income, personal strength training without a gym, video games and the lessons they unexpectedly provide, or thought experiments—feel free to see what exists below.

  • Navigating Financial Struggles and Guilt: When You Want to Help Your Family but Can’t Afford To

    The Guilt of Wanting to Help Family When You’re Financially Strapped

    I went home to visit my family for a day, and nothing really changed: same property, same house, my Ma, grandma, and uncle were there, and my two dogs were ecstatic to see me after nearly a year of living on my own. But time shows the truth—the guest house I grew up in on my grandma’s property is showing its age.

    The wooden stairs have rotted; the middle step caved in. The patio connecting the guest house and main house floods slightly after the recent rains. Even my parents’ bathroom had needed repairs my dad handled himself. Gnats buzzed around incessantly—more than usual—landing on my face, buzzing near my ears.

    While helping Ma with some simple math problems, she overshot an answer from $1,200 to $12,000. I told her that if I had $12,000, I would help fix the place up. Like always, Ma shook her head and said, “Don’t worry about the house.”

    I hate it whenever my parents push against me when I talk about not earning enough. I understand the sentiment—they want me to be grateful I’m working, that I’m earning—but I hate that I can’t help more financially because I need to take care of myself first. I’m not broke enough to need help anymore. But I’m too broke to help my family. And it kills me inside.

    When Advice Says to Earn More, But You’re Capped

    I’ve heard the same advice over and over: earn more money, and you’ll be able to help. Yeah, no kidding, Sherlock. That doesn’t make it any easier.

    I was born and raised in Hawaii, one of the most isolated and expensive states in the US.

    Paradise isn’t free. It’s only paradise if you can pay for it. If you can’t, it’s just a place that slowly crushes you under the cost of living.

    Jobs that pay enough to live comfortably are limited to tourism, hospitality, medical, and other customer-facing roles.

    A statistic from years ago said that to live comfortably in the 808, a household needs to earn over $132,000 annually.

    Meanwhile, I make under $40,000 per year, juggling a warehouse job and a part-time role, while carrying roughly $10,000 in personal debt.

    Even when I find ways to make things work for myself, the financial gap to help my family feels impossible.

    What Do You Do When You See Family Struggling?

    This is a hard truth I’ve had to accept:

    I don’t help.

    At least not in any substantial financial way like I used to.

    Occasionally, I’ll see if I have leftover cash to buy lunch or dinner for my parents when we have the same day off, but repairs? Major bills? I can’t do that.

    A few years ago, before I moved out, Ma asked me for help financially. At the time, I only had a car loan and a few credit cards. She needed money. I didn’t ask what it was for. I took out a few personal loans that accrued to roughly $30,000 over the years—bigger ones Ma handled, smaller ones I paid.

    Those loans are long paid off, but the emotional and financial toll left a scar. It reinforced how much we were scraping by just to make sure basic living conditions were met.

    And all because the only resources available to us, when paychecks were already stretched thin, were loans.

    When Family Says to Help Yourself First

    Ma always tells me: “Don’t worry about the house.” She and Dad will figure things out, even if it takes time. Sure, on paper, their combined income is over $100K, but the reality—the repairs, the small, unseen struggles—says otherwise.

    I used to give them money to cover repairs, but now, Ma tells me to focus on paying off my current debts. Without loan payments draining my wallet, I can rebuild my emergency fund, invest more into my Roth IRA, and eventually help my family—not because I have no choice, but because I want to.

    Choosing Not to Help Is Still a Form of Care

    As frustrating as it is, as much as it feels like abandoning your family, not helping when you’re drowning is still a form of care.

    I learned this the hard way after taking on loans years ago to cover immediate needs. The emotional and financial toll made me feel like I was running with cinderblocks cemented to my feet. I was going nowhere, except down.

    When the time comes that I’m debt-free—maybe not earning everything I’d like—I can give support from a place of stability. I can help because I choose to, not because I have no other option. And that matters.

    Final Thoughts

    This isn’t easy. The guilt of wanting to help while being financially constrained never fully disappears. But being honest with yourself about what you can handle is an act of care, not cowardice.

    You can still love your family, support them in small ways, and plan for the future—without sacrificing your own stability.

    Like Hawaiian Airlines says during their demonstrations before take off—put your mask on first before helping someone else with theirs.

    If You Made It to the End

    Hey—you made it! Thank you for sticking with me through this post. I share these reflections because I believe in being honest about the struggles we all face, and I support the Archives myself so that it stays available.

    If this resonated with you, or if you get what it’s like to want to help others but need to take care of yourself first, you can click the tiny wave button below. It’s completely optional, but it’s a nice way to let me know a real person visited and spent some time here.

    Either way, I’m grateful you were here and took the time to read.

    Tiny Wave 👋

    Explore The Financial Archives Below

    Explore The Archives Here

    The Stratagem’s Archive: Start Here