Over There

So.....

Nice quiet day that saw me not having to work on a Sunday night and that was good....I started a Disciple class last week at another church and we are meeting Sunday afternoons before I have to be back to work but the class was cancelled tonight due to the holiday weekend.

It was nice to come home from church around lunch and not have anything to do ...

I have been enjoying hearing from everyone regarding my weight loss and my renewed efforts to diet and excercise. Keep those tips coming....

Lots of times we lean on that fence and see that the grass does look a little bit greener....right? I am guilty of it ....

I look at some guys and think ...dang they eat alot but look at how in shape they are ....

Or I see guys running in the park ...passing me every so often and I again think DANG....I wish I could do that ..

But its after that I think ...Please stop. Don't do that and set yourself up for failure by trying to keep up with others. We are each different individuals, that guy that is eatting cheeseburgers for snacks and taking a bath in ice cream might be busting his ass off at the gym 7 days a week just so he can eat all that stuff....

It's a different mindset that I am having to create for myself.....It's hard, but totally worth it and maybe one day I will get a chance to talk to that guy running in the park and find out that he was once like me ....taking it one day at a time ....

Laura M sent me an email and I wanted to share below some of what the article said....This is not mine and is just reprinted with the authors name and publication attached ...I like that he says to relax and enjoy what you are doing...

Happy Reading ....

Enjoy

By Michael Scholtz, M.A., Best Life fitness expert
It's great to be conscientious about your diet and exercise sessions, but cutting yourself some slack keeps your motivation high. Try adopting an 80/20 approach—strive to make healthy choices 80 percent of the time; this leaves room in your weight loss and fitness programs for setbacks. Here's how to do it:
• Change your thinking. Don't use the words "good" or "bad" to describe food, yourself or your behavior. These words can promote the unhealthy all-or-nothing pattern you're trying to avoid.
• Establish a range for goals. This allows for more flexibility. For instance, "I'll walk 30 minutes four to six times a week" is better than planning to walk everyday.
• Schedule off days. Take a day off from exercise each week. Use the time to focus on a nurturing activity, such as reading or catching up with friends.
• Enlist help. Consider meeting with a nutritionist, trainer, counselor or coach. They can help keep you motivated and also make sure your goals are realistic.
• Cheer yourself on. Place a note in your bathroom, your car or on your calendar to remind yourself to relax.
• Be patient. Nothing causes more frustration than thinking you should be losing faster than you are. Aim to shed up to 1 percent of your body weight each week, but realize that plateaus are part of the journey.

Tiger Rag

So.....

A fairly quiet Saturday for me ....Just getting home from listening to most of the Auburn game and watching some of the Bama game at the Mielke's. For some reason tonight I am pretty dang tired and can't put a finger on what's causing it ...just feel whipped and run down tonight...anyway.

Went for my weekly weigh in and am happy to let every one know who is following along that I managed to lose 3.5 pounds this past week and once again I am quite pleased.

So here are the numbers...

Starting weight-381 lbs
Todays weight-365.5 lbs
Total lost -15.5 lbs in three weeks.

I am very happy to continue to hear from all the folks out there who are following along on the journey with me. One thing that is very nice is that when I tell folks I am doing this they just get really into hearing about whats going on....They ask questions, they throw support my way, etc ..
It's that kind of thing that encourages you even more to keep going and going. I say THANKS again to everyone...

So, not alot to report tonight except that ....a good quiet day in Lake Wobegon.
More tomorrow ....
Peace and Good Night

One For My Baby

So......

I spent a good portion of my day in Auburn. Always good to be in such a nice place and of course getting to have some good food at the BarBQue house is a a huge plus and add to that it is gameday weekend for the first time this season and it all adds up to a huge WIN .

Lets talk about BarBQue for a few minutes .....
I love it ....LOVE LOVE it ....and for my money there is no better that at the BarBQue House in Auburn Alabama....I have had good BBQue in Memphis and in North Carolina. I have had decent BBQue in California and Georgia but nothing compares to the delight of the stuff you get in Auburn.
Today was a bit different though....Since I am counting points and trying to eat better and shift my focus to more filling foods I decided today to get the BBQ Chicken instead of my regular BBQ sangwich.
Perhaps a mistake was made....The chicken had a nice flavor but was a bit dry for my taste. Every rose has its thorns I guess.....
I always plan my trip to Auburn....I am hardly over there anymore and when I do go I eat at the BBQue house ...so next time I go I will plan for my meal and I will eat the sangwich.
I said from the beginning that I will not deprive myself of foods that I enjoy. I will balance them out, I will cut the portion size, I will perhaps excercise a little more but once you start taking away things that you really enjoy then you are potentially setting yourself for a failure of some kind. As we have talked about its all in making the right choices and living with things in a different way....not denying yourself totally of something.

Enjoy what you are doing and make the absolute most of it ....

Walking On The Moon

So....

Did anyone see the HUGE moon in the sky tonight? ....just beautiful and full!

Comfort.
verb (used with object)
1.
to soothe, console, or reassure; bring cheer to: They tried to comfort her after her loss.
2.
to make physically comfortable.

noun
3.
relief in affliction; consolation; solace: Her presence was a comfort to him.
4.
a feeling of relief or consolation: Her forgiveness afforded him great comfort.
5.
a person or thing that gives consolation: She was a great comfort to him.
6.
a cause or matter of relief or satisfaction: The patient's recovery was a comfort to the doctor.
7.
a state of ease and satisfaction of bodily wants, with freedom from pain and anxiety: He is a man who enjoys his comfort.
8.
something that promotes such a state: His wealth allows him to enjoy a high degree of comfort.
9.
Chiefly Midland and Southern U.S. a comforter or quilt.
10.
Obsolete. strengthening aid; assistance.

That was alot of definition for one word but we can all find something in our lives that offers us some level of comfort. Most likely we can look at the above listing and find things that SCREAM at us....its who we are.
Laura M cooked a wonderful shepards pie for dinner tonight and invited me over ....It was WW friendly and a HUGE portion was only 5pts.
Afterwards we took the girls for a stroll and that turned into a fairly brisk walk around their neighboorhood. While walking we touched on comfort foods and how much we crave them at times.
We talked about how the shepards pie or something of the equivalent would be great in the cooler months....dark outside with a nice wind blowing and a warm meal on the table that is filling and delicious without being overboard on calories.

What is it about food that brings us so much comfort ? Look back at the definition of the word comfort and think about how many of those things listed are actually true when we relate them to FOOD.
Funeral food, wedding food, birthday celebrations, cookouts, holidays. There is a huge food element in all of these things. Besides funerals, the others represent a time when we see family and friends and have a great time ....and we bring food. We sample what others have brought and talk about how great this is or that is ...we gush about a recipe or a taste. It gives us peace and comfort on a level that many other things in our lives cant come close to compare...

We are not all like this and dont get me wrong in saying that we go to a party for the food over the fellowship...I dont and hopefully you dont either but digging into that creamy cheesy dip with some homemade pita bread chips can be life changing (not really, I kid) but when was the last time I went to a party or to watch a game or celebrate a big event and food was not a part of that situation?
I enjoy trying new things ....but part of this journey, for me, is trying old things in a new way.

So what foods bring you comfort ? If you could have it right now ...what would it be ?

Peace

Stay Awake

So......

Not so much the last week to ten days ...Stay Awake that is ..

Perhaps its the new diet ....maybe its the fact that I am MAKING myself go to bed early each night ...Getting on a tighter schedule. I have come to realize that at 35 years old I am slowly not being able to get by on the bare minimum at night anymore. 4 hours wont cut it ....

Whatever it is ...Its working and for the first time in a LONG time I am actually sleeping at night. I still wake up a bit but nothing like before and I am not laying for hours trying to get to sleep or back to sleep.

I am feeling better and thats the main thing. I would sleep on the roof if it meant I might actually sleep so things are looking up.

Eating better.....excercise...sleeping better....could it all be connected Hmmmmmm

Speaking of sleep....How do you sleep? Do you get in the bed, turn the light off and BAM you are gone ...or do you have a ritual of some kind you follow??

I watch TV before going to bed ....usually read while watching and typically the last thing I watch before going to bed is some part or all of an episode of The West Wing.

One last thing before bed .....Has anyone ever tried the Bocca Burgers that you get in the frozen food section at the grocery store..

They are meatless but I happen to like them but was wondering other folks thoughts on them and if you use them or have tried them what, if anything do you do to them to "jazz" them up at all ....

Have a great Thursday...

Peace

September of My Years

So......

It rained today ...again!
I really thought I was going to have to walk in the rain again this evening but it actually turned out to be a very nice night for walking. I had with me tonight for the first time some company and it was nice to have someone to chat with about things.....
He is trying to make some big decisions about his upcoming future and for some strange reason he wanted my advice ...HA !!! SUCKER
Add to that the fact that since May he has also been trying to lose weight and has lost 21lbs and eventually wants to lose about 40. He said seeing my excitement the last few weeks has been great and asked if he could join me more for walking. Sounds good to me and the converstaion was a welcome addition.

Tonight for dinner I made this really good oven"fried" chicken tenders.
The fried part was crushed up corn flakes.
You soak the chicken in 1/3 of a cup of buttermilk and cayenne pepper.
Dipped in egg whites ....dipped in flower and then the corn flakes.
Add to this the Sage brown gravy.
Which was
2 T flour
1 T butter
1 Cup low sodium chicken broth
1/4 t sage
The total points was 6 for three chicken fingers and the gravy
I added to that some turnips and then I boiled some cauliflower florets, drained and added spray butter, salt/pepper, and mashed them up to make mashed cauliflower. A VERY filling meal....

So my question for you all tonight is this ....Whats your favorite fruit ?
I happen to enjoy a good crisp gala apple or an orange. Thanks to my introduction to them two years ago I also enjoy a good Clementine !!!

So whats yours ??
Peace

You're Getting to be a Habit with Me

So....

Lets talk about breakfast for a few minutes ....I kinda touched on it a bit in a previous post but this will be a little more in depth.

We know THE most important meal of the day is breakfast....We have heard that for years and years ....

I struggle with breakfast because for years and years and years I have not eaten it ...at all. Just something about eating that early in the morning makes me almost want to gag a bit ...

But for the last two+ weeks I have been eating something...EVERY DAY.

Maybe it is a bowl of cereal or a cup of yogurt. Perhaps a whole grain waffle with some turkey sausage.

One day I ate some raisin bread with peanut butter on it with a banana. That might have been my favorite so far....but the main thing is I am eating breakfast.

I am slowly changing those hard to kill habits....I will be honest most mornings I still have a strong gag reflex but it seems to be getting better.

I think for me it will eventually come down to pairing certain things together...Raisin bread with a banana.....Apple with peanut butter and a waffle with a little syrup. Maybe a smoothie....I have mentioned my love of all things oatmeal and am waiting for that first really good cool snap to have me a bowl!!

So you will fogive me if I have asked this before but whats your favorite breakfast food? What is something that will get you going and keep you going all morning.

Or maybe its just your comfort thing....french toast, Chappys pancakes, hashbrowns at Waffle House....

I do confess a love for good pancakes ....!!!!

I am interested to know what you like ....

Night and Day

So.....
First of all ...Where in the hello is the cooler weather we were promised more than a week ago my that lying Rich Thomas ...I mean it was so incredibly muggy out tonight while walking it felt like the beach after a short rain.
I am excited about the coming cooler weather and when I am walking in the park I find myself thinking back to previous falls and the leaves on the ground and the bright colors in the trees.

Second....Is it ok after only two weeks I find myself thinking ALOT about weight loss, healthy eating, figuring out when I can excercise etc ..
I mean I know that what I am doing is a good thing....and that any cutting back I am doing and excerising I am adding is a HUGE benefit....
I just dont want to become one of those folks that only talks weight loss/diet/excercise 24/7. I started this new blog to keep folks up to date and to help keep myself accountable ....So far its been a real blast.
Chew on that for a bit and let me know what you think ....

Third...WHo has some good smoothie recipes they care to share...I got one off here already but am looking for some more tried and true recipes that YOU have made in your own kitchen.
Let me know ...
Thats all I got tonight folks ....Hope yall have a great Monday
Peace

Satisfaction

So...
Today marked the end of two weeks of the new diet stuff and I am happy to report that in the past week I lost another 5lbs. I am, once again , very excited.
So here are the stats as of today
Starting Weight-381
Todays Weight-369
Total Lost-12lbs

My question tonight is what leaves us/me/you satisfied? I am going to approach this from a food/eating perspective but feel free to branch out into other aspects of your life when you maybe ponder this question.
I think about the excitement of Thanksgiving and the food. I love the family atmosphere and having a house full of folks. Watching the parade and then some football...but lets be honest we all really enjoy the idea of gorging ourselves for that one day.
But who really enjoys that miserable, over-fed, bloated feeling we get after...Sure its nice to sit in a chair and zone out for a bit before brewing a pot of coffee and getting a piece of pie or cake. Or maybe a serving of my aunts sweet potato crunch casserole.
But its the immediate effect of eating too much that we hate. We DONT listen to our bodies....
You gotta eat ONE.MORE.BITE.
Maybe we think we are going to miss something....maybe we think that this is once a year and lets fill up for the winter.
I know there are other times during the year we do this but Thanksgiving I would think is the TOP when it comes to overeating days.
Many of us experience this struggle to limit our overindulgences on a daily basis. We have a great sangwich but really want some dessert also....We have a burger but also get the cheese fries.....We go to ChikFilA and get the regular sangwich but upsize just cause....
We want to naturally add....
Food is Comfort for sure. Whats one of the first things people do when someone passes away...You take them food. Or start planning when you are going to " feed the family"
Is it a southern thing? I know obesity and bad eating habits exist outside the South but we seem to think that food will sooth and it does. I know already that one of the worst things you can do is "emotional eat"
So Why do we have a hard time listening to what our body is telling us ?
Why do we think we know better when our bodies clearly are rioting against us and saying PLEASE STOP?
I am starting to slowly learn to listen to my body better.....Eating slower...putting the fork down...sitting at the table or in the kitchen....All of these things go a long way in helping us to adjust and listen.
I have heard through the grapevine that a few new folks are reading this blog and to them I say WELCOME!!...You are encourged to leave some comments...good, bad, informative whatever..
Hope tomorrow is great for everyone and now week three starts...
Peace

Dreaming My Dreams With You

So.....

What are some things you want to accomplish in your life ? I know many of you out there have met many of your goals. I know many have married that dream guy or girl. Have travelled the world and seen the sights.
But what, if anything, is missing?
Perhaps you want to learn to fly a plane ...Maybe you want to swim the English Channel. Maybe you want to learn a second language, or a third and fourth.
I started this weight loss/healthy eating walk two weeks ago almost with no other goal in mind than to lose weight and get into better shape. I have a healthier heart. To lower my blood pressure. To just feel better.
But here are some things that I always seem to have stuck way back in the back of my head. Mind you they have been there for years but at age 35 perhaps its time to consider WHEN some things might happen.

• Hike the Appalachian Trail. If not the whole thing then large parts of it. Not taking a day hike while on vacation but taking two week or a month and hiking for miles and miles of it.
• Walk the Highlands of Scotland. Stand on the ragged, time worn perches and look across that beautiful country and thing about what happened over the years there ...
• Get married. I was just telling someone the other day that perhaps I am not the marrying kind of person. Maybe I will one day be content with having someone in my life long term. Then I think ...Nah. I want to get married...time will tell.
• Visit the beaches near Anzio, Italy.
• Take voice lessons. I can sing but with some training perhaps I could be better ...who knows.

Those are a few for me ....hiking the AT would be amazing for sure. I worry at this point in my life of doing it but perhaps when I am in better shape, who knows??

I remember reading a story about a guy who hiked the trail just to lose weight and ended up losing like 60lbs I think.

So whats your "to do " list right now ? and if you get to looking for me maybe you can find me on the AT.

Peace

Here's That Rainy Day

So.....

I walked tonight.....I walked in the rain. This might sound nuts and totally crazy but there was something incredibly relaxing about it. I also have found that one of the big keys for me walking is picking the right music to walk with...

If you know me then you know what type music I like and listen to....For the most part its been Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Basie, Miles Davis with some Mozart and Bach mixed in...

I have also listened to Patsy Cline and Hank Williams. Pat Green and a little Earl Scruggs.

It makes it go SOOO much quicker but tonight had a nice relaxed feel about it although I was really moving....

With this system I am on for weight loss you count your points. Almost every food item on the planet(or most of the planet) has a point. If you eat it you count it. I am still struggling to use all my points each day and I guess that a good thing and a bad thing.

I am staying on track BUT I am possibly not getting enough to keep my metabolism going....So I will continue to work on getting rid of the points.

I also know that you can add back points for the walking, lifting, running etc that you do ...but I am not doing that ....

Thats about it for tonight ...My plan tomorrow is to possibly sleep late !!

AC-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive

So......

Not alot tonight to report ..I did blog this morning about Sen Kennedys passing so this will make TWO for the day ..

One main thing that I have been going back and forth on is what day to take off during the week. And by that I mean what day or days should I relax from excercising ...

Wednesday ...the middle of the week and a good spot to relax a bit

The weekend....Sit back and think about what my week was like and what I can do different next week

Or not take off at all and just keep on going ....anything I do is a positive right now thats my way of looking at it

Anyway ...just something I have been thinking about today ...

Another thing ...I have to admit that I am really enjoying the process of making some kind of breakfast in the morning..

Like today was a banana and one piece of raisin bread with peanut butter on it ...Simple but good and it was something. I used to never eat breakfast

I thought that this would be my lest favorite part of everything but so far I have found some pretty neat solutions to filling that void

I am a big fan of oatmeal but only during the colder months so once it really starts to feel like fall on a more regular basis I am going to get back into eating a hot bowl of oatmeal.

Any other quick easy breakfast ideas yall might have ? Pass um along my way ...

Softly as I Leave You

In Memoriam

Ted Kennedy

We have all read or heard the news about Senator Ted Kennedys death last night from brain cancer. It was a hard fight that he fought until the very end. He was a champion for the working man, for the disenfranchised, minorities and those in real need. He sponsored or co-sponsored many bills that have shaped this nation in the last 40 years. He is owed a huge debt of gratitude for doing the hard things. He reached across the aisle to get support for things that were not always popular but he never forgot his base and who he was working for...This earned him the tile "Lion of the Senate". He was respected. I wanted him to be my senator.

One thing that keeps coming back to me is the fact that he led his family for 40 years after the death of Bobby Kennedy.....He was never really "the one"in the Kennedy family. It was supposed to be older brother Joe, then Jack , then Bobby. Ted was the youngest and the playboy. He got into more trouble and broke the most rules. And he usually always got caught doing the bad stuff. He learned and he grew.

His older brothers were all dead along with a sister, Kathleen. So by 1970 he turned around and realized his family needed him to step up and he did.

My grandmother loved and respected Ted Kennedy. She cursed at him for some of the things he did in his life but she knew he did ALOT for the people of Massachusetts and for America.

Hard to believe that in less than a month two great Kennedys are gone ....

I voted for Barack Obama last year for many many reasons but last year when Ted Kennedy endorsed Obama I kinda knew then that I would be voting for and throwing my support towards Obama.

If I am being honest I will have to say that Sen Kennedys passing has been tough for me this morning ...just sad is how I feel.

I hope he has rest and comfort now ....

Rest In Peace, Senator .

Mack the Knife

So.....
I dont know if you know this but you need to be REALLY careful when cutting turnip roots. First of all after you have removed the outer layer they are really slippery. I was using a cutting board and a fairly sharp knife but those buggers move around alot...I am a confident person in the kitchen but when things move about like that I get nervous. Kinda like cutting up a whole chicken....that makes me nervous also.

I cooked a small roast tonight that called for fresh garlic, half sodium chicken broth and fresh thyme. It roasted for about an hour and half then you add a few quarted red potatoes, cut up turnip roots, onions and carrots. I forget the carrots....
With this recipe you got a HUGE serving of everything and being honest I did not even eat all of mine....I ate my salad first and drank water so I guess I filled up. But got some great leftovers for tomorrow.

Excercise-
I have a problem that I cant seem to overcome....Shin splints!! I stretch, I warm up but I still get them and after walking for a bit its almost unbearable. Any suggestions ?

Thats all I got tonight ...Peace

Don't stop believin'

So.....

This might sound crazy ...but in the very short week that I have been doing all this weight loss stuff I have already found myself feeling better.
Maybe its psychological.....Maybe I am just tricking myself into feeling better but I swear to you there is something just a tad bit different and I cant quite put my finger on it....
Maybe its the fact that I find myself wanting to cook more ....wanting to figure out the points in a meal and make it in my own kitchen. The satisfaction of sitting down to something good and healthy and hearty.
Maybe its the long term goals.....Seeing myself in a few weeks....months...years.
Maybe its knowing that with the loss aspect I will gain more confidence in other areas.
Maybe its the excitement of knowing that with the more I lose the closer I can possibly get to getting rid of high blood pressure medicines that I take on a daily basis.
Its gonna happen and that has me very excited.
Peace

Just You Wait ....

So......

Another great day of beautiful weather .....another great night of catching up with friends....
Another great episode of Mad Men ( no matter what LM says !!!)....

I heard this story over the weekend about a guy who was about my age, height, weight and he started the same program that I am working on to get into better shape...
In the past like 17-18 months he has lost 190lbs!!! He orginally joined because his doctors told him to lose weight BEFORE having gastric bypass surgery. He started and really enjoyed it and just stuck with it ...That is AMAZING and almost hard to believe. I asked the lady telling the story to repeat it twice just so I heard it right....
That is a whole complete person ...Gone. Just astounded me ...His story is enough to keep me going for weeks for sure. Glad to have had the chance to hear about and it has me wanting to meet this guy just to talk and see what advice he has to offer another guy on the same journey.

and a couple of things to remember about me ...

I will sing loudly in the shower if given the chance
I will laugh out loud while listening to A Prairie Home Companion
I am pretty level headed ( I think)
I don't like cats (sorry Sullivan)
I do enjoy live theater (or is it theatre) but don't go nearly enough
I would rather be with folks on a porch than at a bar any day of the week and twice on Saturday.

Thats about all I got for tonight ....Hope everyone had a great Sunday
Peace

Dont Know Why ....

So......

Today was an absolute beautiful, pre-fall day here in Central Alabama. Just to be outside for any amount of time should have made you happy. For me anyway ...

I am very pleased to let everyone know that I went for my first weigh in since starting the new stuff last weekend and the numbers dont lie...I lost 7 pounds !
I was pretty shocked actually....I kinda figured that I had done pretty good for the week but nothing compared me for that number. So that puts me at 374lbs. Headed in the right direction for sure. I cant put my finger on it but I just never thought I would do that in one week ...
I know guys lose quicker.....and that sometimes during that first week you can lose alot but still seven pounds is seven pounds. I am very happy and pleased with my first weeks progress.
Now its time to add in some other things that will help keep me going towards my ultimate goal.

Tonight was a fun night of catching up with old friends and meeting some new folks who were very nice and seemed like folks you could easily hang out with and have a good time. I am at my most comfortable with my friends. My friends just know me and get me in a way that others dont...
God Blesses us in so many ways ....

Its midnight and I still need to finalize some stuff for Sunday School in the morning ...
I appreciate yall reading so far ....Stay Tuned !!

Five Minutes More ....

So......
Today was a good day ! While I am glad that I no longer live in Macon county it was VERY nice to visit with folks and see family. Added to that was the fact that we were seeing folks in a normal settting...No funeral had us in Macon county this time it seems that the only time we see folks sometimes is at a funeral. Sad.
My 90 year old aunt fixed us lunch today and although it was just spaghetti... It was very tasty. There is just something about older folks cooking that makes things better...ya know ?
I had a small serving and some garlic bread ...so not a deal breaker.
We spent most of the day just visiting with folks and riding around the county looking at places from my Grannys past and when it was all over it left me wishing we had more time ...but there can be other trips....

I went to the grocery store tonight and found some Jiffs Natural Peanut Butter. I really like peanut butter. I also really like the natural peanut butter with the oil on top but most times its more expensive ...this Jiff was not that expensive. ALSO I compared the fat/fiber/calories on the back and it looked pretty good. I will let ya know how it tastes !
Hope yall had a great day and THANKS to everyone for their words of encouragment this week it has meant alot!!
More to come ....

Tomorrow ....

So.....

Not alot going on here today ...had a very productive day at work. Got a good bit done in my office and at the church in general.

I mentioned last night my dislike for turkey bacon ...well today at lunch I had a turkey burger and OH MY GOODNESS it was amazing....
It had bell peppers and mushrooms on it ....light mayo...mustard. The bun was a regular run of the mill bun but wow I am really impressed at how good the burger was .....
and speaking of cooking ...here is something else for you to try if you are game

Take a Penne Need a Penne Chicken Pasta (or whatever you want to call it)
One box of whole grain penne pasta or 13 OZs
One can of diced tomatoes-
1-1.5 cups of cooked chicken diced or shredded
1 cup low fat mozzarella cheese
One small jar mushrooms or you you can cup up about a cup of fresh ones
about a half cup of sliced olives.Black or green.
1/2 cup light italian dressing
1/3 cup chopped basil
Salt and Pepper to taste
Cook the pasta and drain....
Cook the chicken basil and tomatoes just till warmed good ...bout 5 minutes.
Toss all together and chill.
I think you could lower the pasta level and still have a great dish but its great for leftovers also...
A serving was a cup ...make a big salad and enjoy.

Is anyone watching Mad Men ?? Perhaps the best show on TV right now. Its got to be right up there with FNL as far as writing and character development goes. Just a brilliant show ...Check it out on AMC on Sunday nights
There will be fat year ...There will be lean years, but it is going to rain.-Don Draper

...And tomorrow I head home to Tuskegee/Notasulga to take my Granny to visit family and friends. One set of friends we used to play cards with and I am looking forward to seeing them...The husband fell about 20 years ago and broke his back and the lingering results of that have him basically homebound.
Wonderful folks that I cant wait to see...
Hope your day was great !!

My Favorite Things ....

So.....

Its Wednesday night and day 4 of my new "stuff".....and here are a few things I have discovered in the short time

• Turkey sausage is really good ....turkey bacon can take a long walk off a short pier.


• Sams sells HUGE chickens for roasting and of course its much much cheaper than buying a bird already cooked there...I cooked two and am eating the results as the days go by .


• I tend to get the munchies at night ....nothing bad but I want something ...any suggestions on how to overcome this ?


• Lots of water = lots of time in the bathroom...of course I knew this but MAN my bladder is wondering what the frig is up ...


• Doing any form of a sit up causes you to feel as though you have pulled every muscle in your chest.....


• Writing something every day is a lot more challenging than I thought it would be ...but I am dedicated to keeping myself motivated and you up to date


• Fiber One Yogurts and Fiber One bars are good but they also ...well...you know what they do


• I have rediscovered my love for apples. Gala are my apple of choice right now

So thats it ....also I am sitting here writing this while listening to Christmas music....that is no suprise to many of you but as I have said time and time again ...It relaxes me.

Put on A Happy Face.....

So......

Today was my first day on my new eating habit that I met a friend for lunch at Chappys ....I hate to day diet for some reason, Call me nuts.
I was a little worried about meeting for lunch since I am still very green with all this new stuff of counting points and watching portion size but I was very pleased with the HUGE salad I got ....I had unsweet tea with lemon and really enjoyed it all.
I worried for no reason I guess.....

I realized today that one year ago today I was in the Gulf Of Alaska doing a little fishing.....Such an amazing trip and made me also realize how much I enjoyed being up there .....Beautiful country for sure.

I mentioned on FB but I will say it here also ...I am SICK to death of all things political ...just tired of it ...to the point that I get antsy when politics comes up.
I used to have a rather full bodied debate with a guy at church but lately I just sit and let him go on ....I am tired of it all.
Thats all I got folks ...I am headed to watch some West Wing

The Hills Are Alive With the Sound of Music......

....Or the loud tailpipes of the reds down the street working on their jacked up trucks.....

So......
Went by PriMed this afternoon to have my BP taken and it read 140/83....Not too bad but not the best either...although I have had a pretty intense headache the last two days ...right behind my left eye...UGH.
Today was a good day at work ....Got alot finished up and off my desk .... had a HUGE salad for lunch....Romaine lettuce, shredded carrots, cucumbers, onions, turkey bacon, fat free croutons, and some low fat 1000 Isle dressing.....
I also fixed me a turkey sangwich on whole wheat/grain bread with tomatoes and Kraft Mayo made with Olive Oil. I did not even eat the sangwich....Salad kinda filled me up...
Got some great advice from Eleanor....THANKS!!

I am in the midst of re-watching season 6 of The West Wing and am really enjoying it ....I wish real politics could be like it is on this show.....
And speaking of all politics ...I think I am going to hang up my hat with regards to all things political...I will talk about the weather, sports, travel ANYTHING but politics.

Excercising went well....Actually did some sit ups tonight LOL ....not many but a few ...

Headed to read a bit about the Civil War then to watch some more WW.

Peace

Another Pleasant Valley Sunday ...

So.....
Day one went really good I think ....
They way the system works that I am using is that each and every food item you put into your mouth has a point value ....
A small to medium apple is 1 point.
A Banana is 2 points.
A Lean Cuisine Roasted Beef Tips with Carrots and gravy is 5 point.
I think you see how it works ...

Every person has a different number as to how many points they can have in a day. The more you weigh then typically the more points you get . I get like 44 points a day!!!
I get ALOT of points ....of course as you lose weight then you adjust the number down but to be honest today I had a hard time trying to eat enough to use all my points.
My main thing is going to be to make sure I keep a full stock of fruits and veggies to snack on ....and to continue the water intake.
I am pretty good about drinking a good bit of water anyway but I am starting OPERATION CAMEL tomorrow ....Besides OJ and Milk, the main other drink for me will be water.
I am excited to begin the work week with all its temptations of eating out with youth and friends. Also if you have ever worked in a church before then you know folks always want to FEED you in some way ....bring you a cake or cookies. Fix you a plate of something....
I welcome the challenge
See ya tomorrow

There is a Brotherhood of Man ..a benevolent brotherhood of man ...A noble tie that binds ...all you in hearts and minds

So.......

It begins here ....
We are all connected by our genuine concern for each other...
I think about Lane and Mary as they begin their new life in Atlanta....Luke and Jackie as they run towards parenthood and new business adventures....Nick and Laura as they watch beautiful girls grow ...

I have concerns about my health....I needed some type of accountability. I needed a support group, if you will. I needed folks in the same boat as myself... so I joined a local weight loss group today. I am hoping that this will be the first step towards a healthier me ....
I can honestly say that I am not embarassed about who I am ....I am just me. But I full well know that I can be in better shape. I can cut some things and add some things back that are much better for me. I already excercise some but can do more and that begins Monday morning ...the new eating plan and lifestyle begins tomorrow.

I promised myself that I would totally honest and transparent on this new blog and I fully intend to keep that promise. It wont be easy but its a promise I made to myself and my dear readers.
To those of you out there who read this blog I encourage you to ask me questions, engage me in conversation in some way, challenge me in some way in regards to this my "whole new thing"

So here we go....
Today at 9:15 am I weighed in for the first time of what will be many times.....

Here are my important stats as of today August 15, 2009

Height-6'2ish inches
Weight-381
Blood Pressure-142/79

As I said ...I am not ashamed of who I am but I am concerned and worried about my overall health....
Wish me luck ...

Something New....

So......
I have decided to take a new approach to my blog and the posts that I make ....Tomorrow will be the first post in this new direction but you can see the changes I have made already.
New Title.....New Layout....New Picture...
So this is just a primer for whats to come ....
My goal will be to post everyday about the ups and downs of something that is a big deal in my life..... A daily diary for me and you.
If I am being honest I have to say that I stole this idea after seeing Julia and Julie last week...Really good movie by the way. But she blogged about something big and it got me to thinking .....
This will be my attempt to keep all my friends in the loop of big changes that I hope will be coming ...
Suprises around every corner ....

Washington DC Trip Round Up and a Video .....

So........

After getting back from DC after an amazing family vacation I thought I would post a few pictures on here but instead you get this very nice video thanks to the wonderful Mr and Mrs Mielke. You see, heres the deal, I am kinda stupid when it comes to posting videos online. I am kinda stupid when it comes to videos period. Cant get them to load, cant get the sound to work, cant cant cant ....ugh ...Anyway !

Dont get me wrong ....I can make a video just fine ....I just cant watch them online that much ...

Enjoy the video .....

more about "Untitled on Vimeo", posted with vodpod

Is That Capitol with an O or A ??

Sam Adams....

So......

Yesterday was spent mainly at the US CAPITOL in downtown DC. We had a very nice tour given to us by a staffer from Congressman Brights office.

Most of what we saw was on the public tour but because we had a guide we were able to just walk through all lines what had formed. We got to see the house in session but were not able to see the Senate in session due to the confirmation hearings for Judge Sotomayor.

Perhaps one day the kids can look back and say that they were in the Capitol during these hearings.

A few things we learned .....

The Capitol is built mostly of concrete....

Parts of the inside are built from the timbers of an old pirate ship.....

There is a spot in the basement area called the "crypt" that was orginally meant for the remains of Gen. Washington......

Over 1 million people visit each year.....

Yeah ....some of those might not be totally true

After the tour we walked around to the Lib Of Congress and the Supreme Court. After that we headed to the Air and Space Museum .

Today we head to Gettysburg and perhaps Amish Country up in Lancaster county....

A Monument to Their Cause......

So .....

Yesterday we went and toured many of the mounments on the National Mall. As many of you know there is a monument to just about anything big that has happened in out nations history ...

There are monuments to former presidents and war leaders. Men and women who paved the way to help make our nation great.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt has an amazing memorial on the Tidal Basin but once again we were not able to make it to that one....Its ironic that he has such a grand monument but only wanted something small....

When asked about a monument or memorial in the mid 1940', FDR patted his desk in the Oval office and said he thought something no bigger than " this desk" would serve as a monument to him if someone decided to build one.

Known But To God......

So...........

Today was another full day and I am pretty sure everyone is getting tired of me saying that but it is what it is ...

Instead of talking too much about it I am just going to post some of the pictures from the day ...

Tomorrow we head to a tour of the monuments on the Mall and at least one of the Smithsonian museums ...most likely The Museum of American History.

An Afternoon with a Gentleman......

So.....

Its day two here in our nations capital and it was quite the busy one for sure. We started out with a very nice breakfast served at the hotel where we are staying ....I know what you might be thinking " OH MY GOD ....BREAKFAST AT THE HOTEL?????" I am telling you this though ...It was wonderful ....delicious sausage, fresh waffles, fruit, oatmeal, real eggs and good coffee.

We then headed into town for our tour of Fords Theater.

Before we went to the theater we had a chance to ride around and have a quick look at things before going back next week for a more indepth tour of things like the capitol, all the mounuments...etc.

After lunch we headed out to Mt Vernon for an afternoon tour and walk about the grounds....I gotta admit ....This was pretty dang cool.

I am a huge history buff.....and to stand there in General Washingtons bedroom...next to his bed that he died in ....Or to stand in his office and see the chair that he used the whole time he was president....It just left me thinking......

Thinking about what ?

Thinking about how he was asked to serve as commander of the armed forces going to battle aginst Great Britain.....and how he knew that if he said yes he was giving up his life at his beloved Mt Vernon and with his wife. He left and returned 8 years later .......

Thinking about how he planned the battle of Yorktown after his return to Mt Vernon.....knowing that the men and women of the colonies had won.....talk about catching a tiger by the tail !

Thinking about how he was once again asked to serve his country by becoming its first president....knowing that he would once yet leave his wonderful home on the Potomac.

Thinking about how he told his wife on December 13,1799 that he had a sore throat but would not let her send for help because he did not want her to worry too much ....

He died December 14,1799.

His home is very nice and warm but not grand ....to me anyway. It is a simple building filled with collections of art and furniture befitting a farmer from Virginia.

Today was nice .....

HOLIDAY ROAD ........

The American Family Truckster !!!!!!!!

So.........

We made it to DC....WHEW!! It is a long long drive but we had a blast on the way up ......We LAUGHED alot about different things ....Talked about those not with us anymore and how much they would have enjoyed this trip.

Tomorrow we head to Ford's Theater and Peterson House and then we are riding out to George and Martha's place ....Never been to Mt Vernon so am really looking forward to that one.....

Happy 4th (although, technically its still the 3rd) of July !!

"As mankind becomes more liberal, they will be more apt to allow that all those who conduct themselves as worthy members of the community are equally entitled to the protections of civil government . I hope ever to see America among the formost nations of Justice and liberality."

President George Washington.

So as has been my custom the past few years I like to post some fun facts about our great nation on or near the Fourth Of July!!

Hope there are not many repeats ...

Happy Independence Day everyone

1. Independence Day commemorates the formal adoption of the Declaration Of Independence on July 4, 1776. However, it was not declared a legal holiday until 1941.

2. Fireworks were made in China as early as the 11th century. The Chinese used their pyrotechnic mixtures for war rockets and explosives.

3. Uncle Sam was first popularized during the War of 1812, when the term appeared on supply containers. Believe it or not, the U. S. Congress didn't adopt him as a national symbol until 1961.

4. There are many precise rules for taking care of the American Flag. And speaking of flag traditions, we're sorry to report that contrary to legend, historical research has failed to confirm that Betsy Ross sewed the first flag.

5. Not all members of the first continental congress supported a formal Declaration of Independence, but those who did were passionate about it. One representative rode 80 miles by horseback to reach Philadelphia and break a tie in support of independence

6. The first two versions of the Liberty Bell were defective and had to be melted down and recast. The third version rang every Fourth of July from 1778 to 1835, when, according to tradition, it cracked as it was being tolled for the death of Chief Justice John Marshall.

7. The American national anthem, the " The Star Spangled Banner ," is set to the tune of an English drinking song ("To Anacreon in Heaven").

8. The iron framework of the Statue of Liberty was devised by French engineer Pierre Gustave Eiffel.

9. The patriotic poem "America the Beautiful" was published on July 4, 1895 by Wellesley College professor Katherine Lee Bates.

10. Father of the country and architect of independence George Washington held his first public office at the tender age of 17. He continued in public service until his death in 1799.

11. It was once asked if July the Fourth is celebrated in Great Britain. Of course not but for years they celebrated the day as "Good Riddence" day... so no...the fourth of July is just another day across the pond.

Blurring The Lines of Reality

So..........

I had a thing happen Tuesday that scared me ....We have had VBS at DUMC this week and thats an "all hands on deck " so late Tuesday afternoon I run home to sit down for a few before being back at 5:30.

I lay down ...take a quick 30 minute nap and when I wake up I have some intense blurred vision in my left eye. It lasts about 20-25 minutes but once the blurred vision clears up I am left with a pretty decent headache....and by decent I mean BLECH.

Long story short ....today I went to my eye doctor for a checkup on that situation specially since the same thing happened again this morning.

His verdict? Not sure what it is ....My eyes looked ok he said besides my usual little stuff ...

He said it could very possibly be a mild migraine.... Possibly stress related....lot of stuff maybe .

Here is where my stress is and my problem...I have a hard time letting things go.

As I mentioned we had our VBS this week and it was the first time in 4 years that I was not " in charge" of anything with the overall planning. I was there each night to watch and answer questions etc....I am technically over the new Childrens Director but ....I mainly sat back and watched this year

I was worried and stressed all week that things would go ok. That everything would be good for the kids ...Guess what ? It was great!!!

I know our Children's Director is very qualified to handle this job ....but after doing it myself for 4 years it was a bit hard to let it all go....Does that even make sense?

I am not one of these folks that looks for someone to say "Great job Jay, really nice VBS, you did so much hard work and we appreciate it" I dont seek out praise...thats not me .... I dont think it is anyway ....I am a behind the scenes kinda person ...Give the praise to the folks who took off work to help out...or to the grandmothers who made food all week....or the youth who gave up their summer time off to be there each night.

My thing is I just have a hard time letting things go and allowing othersto do things.....So my stress level was high....LET ME STRESS HERE ...I was very pleased with VBS and how things went ...our Childrens person is AMAZING !! We are so very blessed to have her

Add to that I have managed to get behind on final planning on our mission trip that we leave for on Sunday morning. ......

So yeah ....a stress headache/blurred vision thing was very possible and DID happen.

Caroling Out In The Snow.......

So.....

I once again would like to say for everyone who reads this little blog o mine.....I hate, detest,despise,loath the summer months. And of course our summer months are sometimes April -October.

It was 96 here in Montgomery today ....How in all of God's creation could you possibly find any sliver of joy from being out in 96 degree heat?

Laying out in the sun by the pool....Blech.

Going to the beach...when its up near 100...Blech.

Spend any amount of time outside that you dont have to ....Blech.

I like it cool...rainy...damp..overcast...cloudy...I have said it before but it fits my mood.

96 degrees makes me angry and bitter. It makes me want to get into fights with strangers at the grocery store. It makes me want to run over squirrels because they wear such heavy coats in the summer.

So heres the deal ....I will count each day of summer being gone as another day closer to Fall and Winter being closer....

I leave Sunday for Asheville NC for a week ...gotta be better there ...

Beating A Dead Horse....Perhaps??

So.....
There is something on my mind here ....Something big.
I go to church .....I have a passion for church. I don't mean the building where I go... I mean the Church. I enjoy the whole process. Communion,hymns,sermons, the people you meet as a result of being in a church. I know there are many folks who are turned off by the church. Those who search out the new and fun when they are looking for a church. Whats exciting at this church might be old news at the next one down the street.

Here is my problem....I dont know if I can continue to go to church anymore ....At least not at a UMC church.
I am disappointed in the UMC church ....I am extremly let down by the church.
For a long time now the UMC church has had a policy of not allowing gays and lesbians to be full members of its church. The policy states that if you are a practicing homosexual then you are in sin and therefore are not welcome in the UMC.
Well...You are welcome BUT you cant be a member. A little of the 'love the sinner, hate the sin' going on there I guess.
This year churches are being asked in the UMC to change the wording in their Discipline to allow ANYONE to be a member of the UMC, regardless of who,what ,when or where you are in life.
Problem is this ....Thats not going to happen.
Opponents of the change say that to do this would go against the social and moral fabric of the church....
My thing is this..The fabric of the church is tested daily by the tens of millions of open sinners who already worship freely in the church.
As Dr Billy Graham said " when did one sin become worse than any other "

How do you honestly let ANYONE become a member of said church if you are following this doctrine ....

How can we proclaim ourselves followers of a wonderful and loving Christ and yet turn our backs on someone ?
How can we proclaim ourselves followers of a wonderful and loving Christ and yet still find it within ourselves to proclaim ourselves better then someone else?
How can we proclaim ourselves followers of a wonderful and loving Christ, a man who openly welcomed SINNERS of all nature into his presence , and yet we still sit by and do nothing when "the least of these " are turned away?

I have amazing, loving friends. They are spiritual and caring. They would carry you to the top of a mountain. They have gone to church, they have helped with programs,they have gone on trips, they have taught Sunday School, they have served on church boards, they have prepared meals, they have laughed with everyone, they have cried real tears in times of sorrow, they have brought flowers when a child is born, they have brought a casserold when a loved one died, they have been there through thick and thin. Flush times and bust times.
But if they made the choice to be honest and live their lives as who they are ....Then they are not welcome in the UMC.
How and why do we do this ??
This makes me sad.

Someone said a few weeks back that "we throw open the church doors and start living the life of Christ. Live it in a full and total way. Invite the beggers, homeless,gays, straights,prostitutes ALL sinners into our lives. Imgaine being known around town as THAT CHURCH THAT ACTS JUST LIKE JESUS"

How can we proclaim ourselves followers of a wonderful and loving Christ and yet close our doors to anyone who is searching for the same Jesus that we follow, but they just happen to be gay?

Better yet, how do we have the nerve to show our faces after closing that door??

To Borrow A Term From a Dear Friend ....MEH !!

So.......
It's Tuesday morning at 12:54am and I am up when I really should be making every effort to be getting sleep since I have to be up at 6am.

I got this idea for a blog post kicking around in my head ...But I honest to goodness dont have it in me tonight to post ..
Perhaps tomorrow ...anyway thats it

$38.00 Is Alot Of Money To Me ....

So.......
I dont do the bullet points but this will be a mix of stuff...enjoy

Let me say first of all ...I have been fairly busy at work. For those of you out there who work at or have worked at churches you know that there are times when you are in a moment of down times. Not alot going on, laid back ...then BOOM its crazy intense with stuff going on...Thats been me since Tuesday of last week. I promised myself I would not go into any long details BUT since Wednesday I have cooked or prepared three different meals for the following numbers of people ..80 on Wednesday, 51 on Saturday night and 104 on Sunday at lunch.
I am sick of food shopping,chopping,cooking,serving,washing dishes,putting dishes and pans up, taking pans back out...Bah! Needless to say I am taking a day off tomorrow...

Many many thanks to all who sent me birthday messages and wishes on Thursday ...It was a nice day.

I got a notice this week that my health insurance has gone up $38.00 dollars since last month. I have had this insurance since the fall of 2000 and in that time its gone up $53.00 dollars. $53.00 over the past almost 9 years was all it went up ....pretty good I think. Then BOOM over the course of a month it goes up nearly forty bucks. Sucks

I have had some pretty good political talks with close friends from church. Civil, polite converstations ...very enjoyable. Shame they cant all be that way

On Saturday night someone called me his "favorite liberal". This coming from a big republican ...Fun.

Some thoughts(not all my own but interesting)
Ever been in a parking deck and looked up and thought how much weight is sitting above your head?
Why do so many folks(myself included) get so attached to their personnal items?
What ever happened to size A batteries?
Ever sit at a stop light and think how much trust we put into those lights? Trusting that they are not all green when we drive through and intersection.

I have said this before and if it makes me weird then so be it ...but I love Christmas music. Its almost to the point that I listen at most any time of the year. It just relaxes me....Christmas is a fun time for me ...I enjoy it and the music makes me think to that time of the year and then I get relaxed.

I saw the teaser trailer for Toy Story 3 and it looks pretty fun....

Summer Mission trip to the Asheville area is in three short week. I am excited.

Alright ..Thats it for me ...Goodnight all

Sum...Sum....Summertime!!!

So....

As we all know I am not that fond of the summer but with summer comes the urge to hit the road...load up the car and head on a the great American roadtrip...buy a plane ticket and fly somewhere....jump on the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe and see the country. I was reading Mr Lucas' blog and decided I would share my plans for the upcoming summer months.

As usual, youth stuff will keep me pretty busy with some added day trips this summer but the two big things I have coming up are ...

I am going back to Washington DC in July. In less than two months actually...

Taking my mother, my brother and his family My aunt and uncle in Georgia are going also...

We are driving up and will be spending 8 days. I am excited. They are excited.

One reason for my excitment is the fact that I know a little about the DC area after having spent a couple of weeks up there with the youth on mission trips.

I know the METRO lines pretty good....I know the roads moderatly well....I am looking forward to playing tourguide and not having to keep up kids from the youth group.

Washington DC is a great city ....

The other trip is in the planning stages...I have a good friend from high school that lives outside Philadelphia Pennsylvania. She has been on me to come visit for over a year now and finally I am working towards taking up up on the offer.

Our initial plans call for me to fly into Philly and spend some time with them seeing the area...Amish Country, Valley Forge etc. Then spend one day driving up to NYC and seeing some stuff in that area....

Looking at sometime in August for this trip.

Plane tickets are really cheap right now and I need to strike while the iron is hot....It will be nice to see her and her family.

Should be a fun summer ...
What are you doing ?

COLD WINDY WET COLDPLAY!!!

The above picture is from the concert and the best I could do with a $170.00 camera...but this is indeed COLDPLAY up there ....

So.....

After a 15 year break from concerts I made the trek over to Atlanta on Sunday afternoon to see the greatest rock band in modern history....COLDPLAY!!! For me to go to a concert that did not include some type of big band music or a type of salute to the old standards of the 1930s and 40s was a BIG DEAL. Yall know me ...I am a dork when it comes to music.

Here's the deal though ...It rained ...ALOT. I mean SOGGY SOGGY ground and grass. I am usually prepared and for this I was ...I took a chair. We get to the gates and they are telling everyone to take their chairs back because for tonight only ...chairs are not allowed. HUH?

Anyway ...sitting on the ground for a couple of hours getting wet was not fun but seeing COLDPLAY in concert more than made up for it ...

For me to stand in rain...sit in wet grass....get really cold from the wind blowing ...that was a big deal...

As I mentioned we had lawn seats and although we were not down front we had really good spots and could see the band pretty dang good.

So as of today I have seen The Drifters,Janet Jackson, The Eagles and Coldplay in concert....

LOST

I have made no secret of the fact that this past season did not do it for me ...but the season ender was really good. I am looking forward to the end of the show next year.

I am reading a really good book right now called The Maker's Diet by Jordan Rubin. This guy had so many health and digestive problems and was literally wasting away from poor health. He then turned to the Bible and some friends and started looking into how folks ate YEARS ago ....going organic, living off fresh items, getting back to the basics. His changes in his lifestyle were amazing and clearly seen in his photos. I bought this book last year but am just now reading it ...I am very impressed so far.

http://www.yubz.com/

Go to that link and then follow into the US area.....I think i would enjoy having one of these little gadgets. ....again because I am a nerd

SINATRA

Martin Scorcese has been tapped to direct a big screen bio about The Voice. All the legal stuff has been finalized and now casting has started. Tina Sinatra has said that she wants this to be done on the same level as RAY and WALK THE LINE. Release should be sometime next year....

I am excited

and Congrats

.... to Mary D for graduating this past weekend from law school!!! Mary has become my sounding board about a subject near and dear to my heart. We have a shared passion for one BIG topic....Glad to see her done with school.

BLECH

So.......
Just right quick ...Former Veep Dick Cheney makes me sick to my stomach....
Just wanted to share

The Only Hell Mama Raised Was Me ..........

So.......
I would seem that it has been a few weeks since my last blog post....I have come here a couple of times during that span of time and thought "I should write something" but nothing ever comes .
I really dont have much tonight either but here goes.....

Gay Marriage
Love it ...Hate it....Support it or protest against it ....Its gonna happen folks. In a few years with the help of state legislatures and state supreme courts this will not just be a regional thing (thank you New England) it will be nationwide. I always go back to my original argument- How can one section of the population be denied something that another section is granted.
The US Constitution is VERY clear on things such as this ....
I read today an article saying that we are removing God from the rite of marriage. Marriage is a legal bond ...recognized by states as such. By saying that a state will recognize gay marriage does not force ANY church to perform ANY ceremony. If a church wants to allow gay marriages to take place then that is up to each church.
But if someone wants to go to the courthouse and LEGALLY become a married couple ...then that should be allowed.
If I had lived 40-50 years ago I would like to think that I would have come down on the right side of intergration....I would ahve been so proud to tell my family and friends that I helped make a difference in some lives by doing what was right.
In 40-50 years I plan on telling my family and friends that I was on the right side of history...

Swine Flu
Do you have it yet ? Have you had it ? I dont mean to make light of something that has already taken the lives of ....well, taken the life of one person.....but this has really gotten out of control in my opinion.
Sunday at church we wore gloves AFTER cleaning up with hand sanitizer to serve communion. In all the years of being at DUMC we have NEVER done this ...not even at the height of "regular" cold and flu season....Its crazy to me .
I am one of the most germaphobic people you will ever meet(not a fan of hugging and shaking hands, whether or not there is a global crisis that could end with us all dead from the swine flu)
but I think this is all overkill.
A friend of mine made a point the other night ...he said he had read that on average 106 people die everyday in the USA from traffic accidents....and yet we hardly hear about that one .... Swine Flu is sexy, its dramatic, it gets us worked up and it sells !!
Perhaps, if this strain is still around come fall and winter we should worry but for now I say lets enjoy the summer.

Star Trek
I am excited about seeing this movie but am also a bit worried about the direction it will take....The guys behind the rebooting are the same guys who bring us LOST...Sooooo we will see...I am there tomorrow night at 10pm.

Health
My work out sessions are going good although I have allowed my work to creep into them a bit ...Its hard to find the right balance but overall its good for me .
I have started including a lot more fiber and organic foods in my diet. I am also coming up on one month of not drinking sodas. I will admit to having one the other day ...a diet coke and it was just ok. Mainly been water,coffee and juices for me.
I go back next week to the heart doctor for some follow up tests. We shall see how that goes....

Personal
I am still tired of being single. Saying that i am tired sounds stupid but thats what it is .....I want something but have a hard time going about finding it and making it happen. One day .

and finally ...I have decided that my next phone will be an iPhone. I am going to bite the bullet and get one ....they are cool, my cool friends have them (looking at you Mr Lucas and Bill)
but Twitter still sucks

Its late and I have breakfast at 6:30 at Chappys ....
Peace to you

Contained Therein.......

So......

I have wanted a garden for a long time. A LOOOOONG time....but the backyard is really shady and not really a good spot for growing veggies. I have been reading so much about folks who are planting gardens for the first time and I really wanted to get something going on my end.

When I was growing up we had huge gardens....tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, peas, beans, watermelons and potatoes. It was great.

So after much research and looking around my house for the most sunlight during the day I have decided that I will plant a container garden outside the kitchen door.

It will be small in size but MIGHTY in what it yeilds. I am going to plant tomatoes, cucumbers, pole beans and maybe squash. I am also going to do a small herb garden with basil, parsley,oregano and coriander. Did you know that coriander grows into Cilantro??? Who knew....

I am excited about this ....if I can keep the damned squirrels away (already been reading about what to do about these little pests) and if everything gets at least 6 hours of good sun , then I think we will be ok.

Going...Going ...Gone.......

So.......

In my attempts to get into better shape I decided about two weeks ago to give up sodas. I quit cold turkey on a Wednesday and have to date had only three Diet Cokes since...

I had a slight nagging headache the first few days but since then its gone really really good.

I have been drinking alot of juices mainly cranberry juice. I recently read that its a good idea to mix water with the juices since many juices have their own natual sugars.

I have also been drinking more water of course.

I have kept a container of Crystal Light in the fridge and while I know this stuff is also not the best for you its better than a Coke.

Soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages add unneeded calories to our diet without providing any beneficial nutrients. One 12-ounce can of soda has 41 grams of sugar, which is equivalent to about 10 teaspoons! The daily guidelines for sugar call for limiting sugar to no more than 12 teaspoons per day for a 2,000 calorie diet. Yet the average American drinks 576 cans of soda per year – that’s almost two a day!

Its nuts when you really think about it....

Dont get me wrong ...I love a cold cold Coke. It is great on a summer day or at a cook out and I am not saying that I will NEVER again have one but it was time to cut them out of my daily diet.

But ...this is a positive step for me

STUFF.....

So.....

Stephanies blog post the other day got me to thinking ....so here goes

Stuff....We all got it. We all buy it. We all (be honest) covet what others have sometimes. Here's the thing....We dont need it all. And I really think that goes without saying ....

Do I need a small digital video camera when my regular digital camera will make videos? No

Do I need an iPod? No....I listen to mine here and there. I have started using it more since I started working out...but I rarely use it in my car or at home.

I have a ton of books....tons. But why do I keep them?? They gather so much dust ....I used to collect Gone With the Wind stuff until it almost took over my life and now that stuff is sitting in the attic gathering LOTS of dust.

I think about my Nana who lived the last two years of her life in a shared room at a nursing home. The entire contents of her 88 years filled one medium sized box when she died.....

88 years -One box of stuff.

I have a closet full of clothes and really I maybe wear 1/3 of whats in there ....I have some regular pants and shirts that I wear but everything else for the most part just hangs there...Never used.

What I need are stronger relationships with people.....What I need is to get to bed early and get good rest at night .....What I need is to be a better brother, son and friend.....What I need is to strengthen my bond with God.....

What I dont need is more stuff...