Tune in on Tuesday

Date:                                           Tuesday, November 30th, 2010
Word of the Day:                        impetrate(IM\pi\treyt); to entreat; ask for

Weight:                                       206 pounds

Goal:                                            lose 100 pounds in one year duratio
Pounds to lose:                            74 pounds
Waist Size:                                   44 inches
Rowing Duration:                        one hour, twenty-two (22) minutes

Okay, you did it, you made it through Monday and now that it is Tuesday, you only have four days left to the work week, three, if you don't count today, you can do it, you just have to believe in yourself, I believe in you!

 I need a drumroll please, unbelievable, there are just twenty-five (25) days left until the biggest holiday of them all, twenty-five days until Christmas, twenty-five days until your children are at their happiest, twenty-five days to enjoy your children's good behaviour, and only thirty-one days left to smoke, if indeed you have that filthy habit, and it is only a habit, but this next year, this is going to be the year that you are smoke-free because you are going to finally quit smoking, aren't you Lily!

I, too, am going to make some resolutions for the New Year, I just don't know yet what they are, there are so many to choose: eat better, yes I know I'm already attempting this but it is nothing if I don't keep at it; continue to exercise, actually, I don't want to look at my time on Cruella and CC as exercise, I want them to be part of my morning routine, right up there with brushing my teeth, that kind of thing, not judge others so harshly, I still tend to be awfully critical of people, I need to learn to be accepting of all people, warts and all, I want to better manage my money, yes, I think this is the one that I am going to give alot of my attention and energy. 

I tend to be materialistic and have alot of "things" that I don't need or require.  I think the worst thing that I collect are my dvds, and blue-rays, my collection is never-ending, and I know I have over three thousand of them, which are mostly movies, this wouldn't be too bad if it wasn't for the fact that for some movies, I have up to five copies; this happens because if I'm in a store and I see a movie on sale for a really good price, I just can't resist buying it!  Are you guilty of this offence?

I just did some quick arithmetic, I estimated my dvd holdings to be about three thousand, and lets say I paid at least ten dollars for each one of them, true, some of the dvds probably cost less than ten dollars, but then again, I know many of them cost way more than ten dollars, so averaging ten dollars for each one is a good, honest estimate.  Now, comes the scary part, multiplying three thousand by ten, bringing me to, gulp,  "THIRTY-THOUSAND DOLLARS!," (keep breathing Efrem,)  oh my goodness, that amount of money would have been nice to add to the down-payment of my future winter home, THIRTY-THOUSAND!, the realization of my frivolous spending kind of gets stuck there in my throat (and mind!)

My toes are still purple, but my left foot is less sore, so I guess things are improving.  My breathing seems to have settled down as well, thank goodness, I don't especially enjoy having to get two needles a week, the depomedrol shot in the arm can be quite painful.

Heart Disease, for both men and women is a huge killer to the sexes in both Canada and the United States of America, because of that, yes today, I'm going to write about it, we have to get control of this disease, and you need to arm yourself with facts, so here is a start:

Did you know that the link between heart disease and job strain is aleady well established for men, and now researchers say the same holds true for women.  Women with high levels of job stress are eighty-eight (88) percent more likely to suffer a heart attack and forty-three (43) percent more likely to need heart surgery than women with less stressful jobs, so my advice to you gals is if you can't stand the heat, send your husband to the kitchen (well, I thought that was cute.)

Anyway, where was I?, oh yeah, job strain, a form of psychological stress (also known as (aka) a husband, hehe,) is defined as having a demanding job that provides limited opportunity for creativity or decision making.  These findings emphasize the need to help women manage job-related stress.Women with very demanding jobs are nearly twice as likely to have a heart attack as their peers in more easygoing occupations, a new study suggests.

Researchers at Harvard Medical School analyzed ten (10) years of survey and medical data on more than 17,000 women in the health profession.  The women, who were enrolled in a long-running study on heart disease, were all in their 50s or early 60s when the study began.

Women who were stressed out by work, (never a pretty sight, let me add,)  or worried about losing their jobs, were more likely than those with steady employment to be physically inactive and to have high cholesterol.   (Job insecurity by itself did not appear to increase the risk of heart attack, this fact blows my mind; I can't believe it; however.)


"This new data is among the most important to emerge in recent years concerning the relationship between job strain and cardiovascular health," says Peter Kaufmann, Ph.D., a researcher at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute who has studied mental health and heart disease but was not involved in the new research.   Doctors and other experts in the field need to do more to help people manage work-related stress, Kaufmann adds.  The findings "emphasize that progress is needed urgently in this arena" he says.  And remember what I proclaim is the key to life, and work, success is not measured by the dollars in your bank account, nor by job title!

The increased risk of heart attack seen in the study can't be attributed solely to health or socioeconomic factors.  To zero in on job strain, the researchers controlled for age, race, education, and income, as well as blood pressure, body weight, and cholesterol.   And even though all of the women in the study were health professionals, it was a "very socioeconomically diverse" group that included doctors, nurses, dietitians, and researchers, says the lead author of the study, Dr. Michelle Albert, M.D., a cardiologist at Brigham and Women's Hospital, in Boston.

Much of the research to date on job stress and heart health has been done in men.  But women are more likely than men to experience job strain, not to mention stress related to home and family demands, says Paul Landsbergis, Ph.D., an associate professor of environmental and occupational health sciences at SUNY Downstate Medical Center, in Brooklyn.

Famous last words "I was too busy for heart disease, until it almost killed me!"


"The results certainly imply that we need to do more to make jobs healthier," Landsbergis says. One way to accomplish this, he adds, might be to give individual workers more control over their jobs through collective bargaining and other types of organizing.

For her part, Albert recommends some simple steps to help women limit the impact of work-related stress: Exercise regularly, try to leave your work at the workplace, and take 10 to 15 minutes a day to relax and concentrate on your physical, mental, and emotional health. It's also important to have a network of family and friends to help you cope, she says.

"We're never going to be able to get rid of stress,  some stress is positive, actually," Albert says. "The negative aspects of stress we're going to need to learn how to manage."

Naturally, there are plenty more surveys,  studies, and news on "heart disease" and if you fall into this  group of people wherein this deadly killer lies, I urge you to do find out all that you can, and get off your duff, and start improving your health, (yes, even I am in this group, but I am trying to improve my situation, so there!,)  there are many people out there counting on you and would miss you terribly should you suddenly die from a heart attack, do you really need that cigarette and/or donut?

Today would have been, and is the birthday of one of my very favourite writers, Miss Louisa May Alcott who was born in 1832, a little while ago indeed.

Determinded to contribute to the small family income, Louisa May Alcott began writing to help support her mother and her sisters.  Miss Alcott first achieved widespread fame and wealth with "Little Women," one of the most popular children's books ever written, although I read it as an adult and I did not feel it was too young for me.  The novel, "Little Women," which recounts the adolescent adventures of the four (4) March sisters is largely autobiographical.  Isn't all great writing autobiographical?

Louisa May Alcott's first book, "Flower Fables," was a collection of tales originally created to amuse Ellen Emerson, daughter of Ralph Waldo Emerson, how about that?

 In 1860, Alcott began writing for the Atlantic Monthly.  She was nurse in the Union Hospital at Georgetown, D.C., for six weeks in 1862-1863.   Louisa May Alcott's letters home, revised and published in the Commonwealth and collected as "Hospital Sketches" (1863, republished with additions in 1869,) garnered her first critical recognition for her observations and humor.  Her novel "Moods" (1864), based on her own experience, was also promising.

A lesser-known part of Louisa May Alcott's work are the passionate, fiery novels and stories she wrote, usually under the pseudonym A. M. Barnard.  These works, such as "A Long Fatal Love Chase" and "Pauline's Passion" and "Punishment", were known in the Victorian Era as "potboilers" or "blood-and-thunder tales." Her character Jo in "Little Women" publishes several such stories but ultimately rejects them after being told that they are "dangerous for little minds."  Their protagonists are willful and relentless in their pursuit of their own aims, which often include revenge on those who have humiliated or thwarted them.  These works achieved immediate commercial success and remain highly readable today.

 Alcott also produced moralistic and wholesome stories for children, and, with the exceptions of the semi-autobiographical tale Work (1873), and the anonymous novelette A Modern Mephistopheles (1875), which attracted suspicion that it was written by Julian Hawthorne, she did not return to creating works for adults.

Louisa May Alcott's overwhelming success dated from the appearance of the first part of "Little Women:" or Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy, (1868) a semi-autobiographical account of her childhood years with her sisters in Concord, Massachusetts.  Part two, or Part Second, also known as "Good Wives," (1869) followed the March sisters into adulthood and their respective marriages.  "Little Men" (1871) detailed Jo's life at the Plumfield School that she founded with her husband Professor Bhaer at the conclusion of "Part Two of Little Women,  Jo's Boys (1886) completed the "March Family Saga."


Most of her later volumes, "An Old-Fashioned Girl (1870)", "Aunt Jo's Scrap Bag (6 vols., 1871–1879)," "Eight Cousins and its sequel Rose in Bloom (1876)," and others, followed in the line of "Little Women," remaining popular with her large and loyal public.

Although the "Jo" character in "Little Women" was based on Louisa May Alcott, she, unlike Jo, never married.  Alcott explained her "spinsterhood" in an interview with Louise Chandler Moulton, "... because I have fallen in love with so many pretty girls and never once the least bit with any man."

In 1879 Louisa May Alcott`s younger sister, May, died.   Alcott took in May's daughter, Louisa May Nieriker ("Lulu"), who was two years old.  The baby was named after her aunt, and was given the same nickname.

In her later life, Alcott became an advocate of women's suffrage and was the first woman to register to vote in Concord, Massachusetts in a school board election.

Despite worsening health, Alcott wrote through the rest of her life, finally succumbing to the after-effects of mercury poisoning contracted during her American Civil War service: she had received calomel treatments for the effects of typhoid.   Luisa May Alcott died in Boston on March 6, 1888 at age 55, two days after visiting her father on his deathbed.  Luisa May Alcott`s last words were "Is it not meningitis?"

Topics coming soon:

Art
Politics
Technology

My Monday is a nice day

Date:                                          Monday, November 29th, 2010
Word of the Day:                       namaste (NUHM\eh\stey); a conventional Hindu expression on meeting or parting used by the speaker while holding the palms together while holding in front on the bosom

Weight:                                      206 pounds
Goal:                                          lose 100 pounds in one year duration
Pounds to lose:                         74 pounds
Waist Size:                                43 inches
Rowing Duration:                     90 minutes, five (5) seconds

Here we go again, another week, stop your kvetching and start appreciating that you have a job to go to, do you have any idea about how many people are out of work and would like to have your job?  Count your blessings and be happy with all that you have in your life!

I wish I could go to work, I really do.  Yes, I know it would mean giving up Florida, enduring the tough season of winter, but I would gladly welcome it if it would mean I could work again.  But, I can't, and I have had to accept that,  although my disability keeps me from going to the workplace, it does not have to keep me from participating in life, that is one of the reasons I write this blog.  I feel I need to contribute something to society, even if it is just providing you with a smile, don't underestimate the power of making someone smile, I sure don't!

Yesterday afternoon, Zac and I looked at some homes that are for sale in the neighbourhood, they weren't bad, there was one that I could live in but it was a little overpriced,  a little on the big side, but I like big houses.  The big deterrent was the taxes it woud have cost to live there.  The taxes on this one house were seventy-five hundred, plus, a year, which is quite alot for some place where were only going to be at most six (6) months in a year. 

When/if Zac and I buy a house down here, we both want to really like it as we are probably going to own it for the rest of our lives,  and the likelihood is that we're never going to be able to sell it due to the overload of real estate available down here.  That means, we not only better be sure on our choice, but we both better love the house 100 per cent, don't you think?

There are now twenty-six (26) days left until Christmas and my kids are getting very excited about Santa Claus's impending arrival, I am too.  On Christmas Day/Eve, I just love watching children ripping apart the presents in olympic time, enjoying all of the special goodies that are made, especially and only at Christmas, and going to church on Christmas Eve.

 I love the Christmas service at church, for me, it is not only time to celebrate our Saviour's birthday, but it is a time to celebrate all of the love and peace that is uniquely special at this time of year, and the church always seems to say it better than anyone, with their selection of Christmas carols, sermons, hymms and prayer.  I never miss going to church at Christmas-time, and if you haven't gone in awhile, why not give it a chance, you might just like it this time.


Did you know that Louis B. Mayer opened his first movie theatre on this day in 1907.   Born in Russia, Mayer imigrated to Canada (don't they all?,) and then the United States (U.S.) with his family and began working in his father's scrap-iron business at the young age of fourteen years.

At twenty-three (23) years of age, Louis B. Mayer bought a small nickelodeon in Massachusetts, which I believe he named the Orpheum,  and by the time he reached his mid-thirties (30s), Louis B. Mayer owned New England's largest movie theatre chan.  In 1925, Mr. Mayer merged his film production company with others to form Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, which, under his leadership, became Hollywood's most prestigious studio.

Louis B. Mayer is generally cited as the creator of the "star system" within Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) in its golden years.   Known always as Louis B. Mayer and often simply as "L.B.", he believed in "wholesome entertainment" and went to great lengths so that MGM had "more stars than there are in the heavens".

As a studio boss, Louis B. Mayer built MGM into the most financially successful motion picture studio in the world and the only one to pay dividends throughout the Great Depression of the 1930s.  However he frequently clashed with production chief Irving Thalberg, who preferred literary works over the crowd-pleasers Mayer wanted.  Louis B. Mayer ousted Thalberg as production chief in 1932 while Thalberg was recovering from a heart attack and replaced him with independent producers until 1936, when he became head of production as well as studio chief.   This made Mayer the first executive in America to earn a million-dollar salary.  Under Mayer, MGM produced many successful films with high earning stars including Greta Garbo, Clark Gable, Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn, Lon Chaney, Joan Crawford, Jean Harlow, Judy Garland and many others.  I'm sure he would have hired me, had I been around, but I don't regret not being around at that time because I now would be probably dead!

Although Mayer had a reputation for ruthless expediency and allegedly narrow views about what subjects were suitable topics for motion pictures, Katharine Hepburn referred to him as a "nice man" (and claimed she personally negotiated many of her contracts with Mayer), while young actresses such as Debbie Reynolds, June Allyson, and Leslie Caron who matured as MGM contract players viewed him as a father figure.

I've decided to write a little bit about mental illness today as a salute to my sister Judy who suffers from mental illness with being bipolar.  A Government mental health survey found that more than 45 million Americans, or twenty (20) per cent of United States (U.S.) adults had some form of mental illness in 2009, with 11 million falling into the category of serious illness.  I'm sure that Canadian statistics would prove related numbers.  Women, the unemployed, and young adults were more likely than others to be affected by mental illness.  About 6.1 million of these adults had a mental health need that went untreated, and nearly half said it was because they could not afford it, which is a huge shame.

Young adults aged 18 to 25 had the highest level of mental illness at 30 percent, while those aged 50 and older had the lowest, with 13.7 percent, said the report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration or SAMHSA.  "Too many Americans are not getting the help they need and opportunities to prevent and intervene early are being missed," Pamela Hyde, SAMHSA's administrator, said in a statement.

"The consequences for individuals, families and communities can be devastating. If left untreated mental illnesses can result in disability, substance abuse, suicides, lost productivity, and family discord."

The 2009 mental health survey hints at the impact of record unemployment rates, which last year hit a 25-year high as struggling employers slashed jobs to cope with a weak economy, can you imagine the statistics that are going to come out at this year's end?

For many, lost employment meant loss of health insurance, leaving many of the nation's mentally ill unable to get treatment.  According to the survey, 6.1 million adults last year had a mental health need that went untreated, and 42.5 percent said it was because they could not afford it.  It found 14.8 million Americans had major depression last year, and 10 percent of the jobless did, compared with 7.5 of retired people or those not in the job force, 7.3 percent who worked part time and 5.4 percent who worked full time.   Only 64 percent of adults aged 18 or older with major depression were treated last year, compared with 71 percent a year ago.  Being jobless also increased the risk of suicide.

Adults who were unemployed last year were twice as likely to have serious thoughts of suicide as people who were fully employed, with 6.6 percent of the unemployed considering suicide, compared with 3.1 percent of those who were working.  The survey also found that 23.8 percent of women had some form of mental illness, compared with 15.6 percent of men.  Too me, and I hope to you, these statistics are unacceptable and I will be writing to my mp (because in Canada our numbers are very relatable,)  informing him/her that I feel the Government needs to address and action the needs of those handicapped with mental illness, clearly the Government is not doing enough to help out those poor people.

Topics coming soon:

Art
Politics
Technology

Sondheim Sunday

Date:                                       Sunday, Novembe 28th, 2010
Word of the Day:                    olio(OH\lee\oh); a mixture of heterogeneous elements; hodgepodge
Weight:                                   206 pounds
Goal:                                      lose 100 pounds in one year duration
Pounds to lose:                       74 pounds
Waist Size:                             41 inches
Rowing Duration:                   one hour, fifty-three (53) minutes,) fifty-seven (57) seconds

I have to be honest, the weather has changed from the hot, steamy days of approximately 85 to 90 degrees to a now much cooler, but balmy seventy-six degrees, life is so tough!


Yesterday, besides doing the usual grocery shopping, I was successful in contacting a real estate agent to show us some homes that are for sale in this area, I'm really looking forward to seeing the inside of some of the homes, the fliers certainly have perked our interest.  So, this afternoon Zac, Winter, and I could be looking at our future winter home.


In addition to contacting the real estate agent yesterday, Zac and I went to the four-thirty performance of the movie "Fair Game" which stars the very beautiful and talented "Miss Naomi Watts" and the always believable and incredibly talented "Mr. Sean Penn."

Both actors are excellent and the film is not only important to see as it outlines crimes perpetuated by the Government, but the movie is very entertaining and moves at a fast pace which is superbly directed by Doug Liman who previously directed the action flick "The Bourne Identity."  Well, for most of "Fair Game,"  the pace moves on, it slows down occasionally, but only occasionally.  Regardless of the pace, if you're looking for a film of quality, "Fair Game" could be just the one you should see. 

One more noteworthy thing about going to see the movie "Fair Game" is that whilst we were watching the movie, there were times that the sound from another movie,  in another auditorium,  were quite audible so when we were leaving the movie house, I stopped to have a word with the manager of the movie-house.  I wanted him to be aware  of the volume of sound emanating from one cinema to the next, and that he should consider adjusting the volume of the film in the cinema next to the one we were in.  The manager was very appreciative that I brought this to his attention, and susequently gave me two free passes to come back and enjoy another movie some other day, wasn't that nice of him!


In case you were wondering what was happening to our beloved Winter whilst we were at the movie, well Winter was being greatly entertained by my brother Biff and his family.   I'm told that Winter not only had alot of fun,  but she managed to eat the cat's food, and got to go on another walk thanks to Sally and Jessie.

I knew that Winter would make the most at being with my brother and his family,  which is why I thought of the idea to let them baby(dog)sit her in the first place!

Drumroll please....There are twenty-seven  (27) days until Christmas.  Yes, time to clean out that fireplace, you don't want Santa getting soot all over his newly cleaned and pressed outfit, and black soot really stands out on Santa's bright red and white suit just in case you were wondering.

  I was just wondering, what do you tell your children about Santa Claus?  Do you tell them the old traditional story of a man working at his workshop,  with elves to help make the toys, and then on Christmas Eve, Santa Claus loads up the sleigh with all the presents, and then with his magical reindeer, including Rudolph at the head, delivers the presents to all of the children throughout the world?   Or do you tell your children that there once was a St. Nicholas who liked to help out those less fortunate but who is now gone and we (parents,) carry on with his tradition.  And do your children believe what you are telling them?

For the record, I believe in the magic of the spirit of good old St. Nick and when I am out buying gifts,  I buy some gifts  from "me" but then I also buy one in the memory of St. Nick, so if you ask me if I believe in St. Nick, I will answer honestly that I do.


Blasting heaters and freezing weather can really zap the moisture from your skin, and if you are anything like me, you want to take care of your skin.  I know each one of us has their own "skin care" techniques and today I'm going to share some of mine.

I stick to a skin care regimen that focuses on gentle cleansing and deep moisturizing, especially during cold weather.  Cleansing, exfoliating and moisturizing are the three keys to my glowing skin when temperatures drop.  People looking at me, in particular, my skin, would never know that I'm in the dreads of winter because my skin is always moisturized and retains excellent colour in all of its youthful appearance.  The fact that I'm overweight also gives my skin a youthful appearance because there are not alot of visible lines due to the extra weight.  But, I bet you want to know my beauty secrets and today is your lucky day as I am going to share them with you.

I always start with basics and the first one being is to drink water.   Keeping yourself internally moisturized and nourished is the number one way to prevent dry skin, especially in cold weather. So even though I hate drinking the stuff, (I would much rather have ice-tea,) I fill up on nature's magic and free liquid and I try to  stay away from excess caffeine and alcohol.   Okay, I stay away completely from alcohol, I don't drink and I don't think I should apologize for it, for the record, I don't always reach my goal but I do try and drink the recommended six to eight glasses a day,  this, I believe, is a good guideline.  What do I do next?

Well, two times a week I use a body scrub before showering.   Scrubbing my skin helps me remove dead skin cells and promote healthy skin.  I use a scrub that is paraben-free, but I hear that you can make your own by mixing 1/2 cup coarse sugar with one cup of coconut oil.   I, then, apply the scrub to my skin using gentle, circular motions.  I scrub my whole body and then rinse off with lukewarm water.  I don't believe in shocking my skin with ice-cold water, that was Joan Crawford's routine, not mine!

With regard to water temperature, please note that soapy hot water will deplete the natural oils from your skin.   Your shower or bath should be a lukewarm temperature.  Also, I keep my bathing times short, between 4-5 minutes, especially in the winter.  I stay away from bubble baths that contain chemicals and alcohols.   I know giving up this luxury is painful, I used to love taking a Halston Milk Bath (I wonder if they still sell that product, hmmm. I do so love that fragrance.)  but no longer.  Yes, I suffer a little for my beauty and I use a natural or organic bath soak instead.

I always use a good moisturizing cleanser, actually this is where I spend my bucks people.  Some people put their money in the stock market, others put it in the bank or other investment houses, some spend it, I put my money in my face.  Okay, I put it out there now, so what?  Look at me.  You would never know all of the money and energy I use in taking care of my skin.  By the way, I always wash with soap and only in areas where perspiration and dirt accumulates.  These areas are typically your hands, feet, underarms and groin area.  I stay away from deodorant soaps as these soaps are notorious for drying out skin, especially that "Irish Spring"

After my shower, I use a good moisturizer.  I really like the typically crème and balm moisturizers as they are designed to seal the top layer of the skin, locking in moisture.   Lotions are known as humectants, and are absorbed by skin.  Aloe vera and coconut and sesame oil are fantastic humectants to apply after bathing. I daily use a lotion and I use a balm or crème at night, right now I'm in love with practically all of the VICHY products.

I put moisturizer on my hands and slip on a pair of gloves before going outside.  Well, you have to protect your skin you know.  At night, I apply moisturizer to my feet and wear socks to bed.  Because of this routine, my feet feel dewy and moisturized in the morning.  I'm such a lucky, happy man.

Okay, they say you can't forget your lips, and quite naturally, you guessed it, I moisturize mine.  The skin on your lips retain less moisture than other parts of the body so I use a good lip balm to lock in moisture.  I brush away dead skin from my lips with a toothbrush once a week.  I then apply a good moisturizing balm.  Vaseline is a time-tested favorite of mine and you have to agree, the price of it is just right!

Finally, I take extra care of your face, after all, it is what people see when they first approach me.  I make a habit of not over cleansing  my face because it can dry out skin, so I only cleanse once-a-day.  I know many of you won't believe that I only do this once a week, but I too have standards.  I do use a gentle cream cleanser at night to remove dirt and I never go to bed without doing this.  I, then, apply moisturizer after cleansing.

In the morning, I skip washing my face with soap and I rinse my face with lukewarm water instead.  This prevents the stripping of excess oils from my skin, especially in the winter.  Throughout the day, I will spritz my face with facial water, I prefer to use Evian, I won't drink it,  but Evian is good for my face.  When choosing a moisturizer, I try to remember that crèmes are heavier, and might be best for use at night.  A facial lotion, one with sunscreen is best for day use, remember skin cancer can be very serious and in fact can lead to death!

It is easy to get sucked into buying a plethora of skin-care products and I do, I love the way my skin reacts and looks when I apply my beauty products. 

I know some of you are thinking that you didn't know I was so vain about how I look, I don't think I'm anymore superficial then the next guy, I just thought I would honestly tell you how I take care of my skin.  If you know of any product or routine that could be beneficial for my skin, please let me in on it, I want the best for my skin.

I hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend, I know I shall.

Topics coming soon:

Art
Politics
Technology
.

Sinful Sexual Saturday

Date:                                       Saturday, November 27th, 2010
Word of the Day:                    bonanza(buh\NAN\za); a source of sudden and great wealth or luck
Weight:                                   206 pounds
Goal:                                      lose 100 pounds in one year duration
Pounds to lose:                       74 pounds
Waist Size:                             44 inches
Rowing Duration:                   112 minutes, forty-two (42) seconds

As you can tell by my rowing duration, I have really been giving my all when I'm on CC, I figure that I'm there, why not do the best I can, after all, I've not even reached my half-way goal, I'm getting to it, but like I said, I'm still not half-way there, but I will be one day!

For those of you keeping track and/or for those of you who are interested, my left foot is healing and I'm happy to report that it is now just the toes on my foot that are still purple, the rest of my foot is healing well, it does have a reddishness to it but you can definetly see a marked improvance, see this life is really pretty good, its all how you look at things.

Okay, sports fans are you ready?  My latest drink of choice is pineapple juice.  Yup, the Hawaiian drink has grabbed a hold of me and I'm drinking it like there's no tomorrow, so "Hawaiian Choice" if you're still out there, I can do one of those "I really love and drink this stuff" commercials, that is, if you want me, and who wouldn't want me, watch it Lily, its still early!

Well we all managed to get out on "Black Friday" and as in everything, we learned our lessons.  The big lesson that we learned is that if you are buying an electronic, it is imperative that you get to the stores as early as they open.

Electronics are the big ticket items and they not only sell out fast, but they produce the largest lineups with what always seems like the least amount of staff to serve you, regardless, we, and by we I mean Zac, Zac was not up early enough, for electronics.

Actually, I was up early enough to shop but I still had to wait in line as well, I only waited for about forty-five minutes, which wasn't too horrible.  Zac, in his perseverance to get a new Global Positioning Satellite (GPS,)  (after all, the one we currently owned was four years old and the new ones can do so much more.) ended up waiting in line for over two hours, but he got what he wanted and isn't that the important thing.

After Zac got the new GPS, he drove us over to Oaks Mall where Sally and I continued with our shopping and then Zac drove home to attend to the stock market. 

Sally and I went to all the stores that were on her list and we even managed to go to a couple of stores that I wanted to patronage, overall I didn't spend as much money as I brought, so I guess that says something, I'm just not sure what it means when it says this something.

Louise, my sister-in-law, and Sally's Mother, met up with us at the mall towards lunchtime and whilst Sally and I dined with food from "Chick-Fill-A," Louise got a sub from "Subway."  After lunch we managed to find a Christmas dress for Sally's holiday affairs and we were all pleased with Sally's choice, it truly is a beautiful dress, its just too bad that it will only get worn a couple of times.

I would like to acknowledge my niece and Goddaughter Sally, Sally behaved extremely well while we were (good alliteration,) out doing our shopping.  Sally is only twelve (12) years old but is very lady-like and will act like an adult when you treat her like an adult.  Of course, there were still shades of the little girl that are still inside her, shades, that I'm happy to report are still there (I really can't believe how fast she is growing up; I hate it!,) such as, when I asked her to leave me alone so I could find a gift for her, Sally secretly hung around hoping to catch a glimpse of what I was buying, she denied this of course, but I saw her, and to tell you the truth, it brought a huge smile to my face and to the salesgirl helping me.

I know I talk about them alot, but I really can't help it; I think my kids are so great and I'm so grateful to Biff and Louise (brother and sister-in-law,) for letting Zac, Winter and I share in their lives, being around those children really does add such quality and enhancement to our lives and I know they, the kids, love having us around, the little one, Jessie, is so attached to Winter that I sometimes wish we could leave her with them, but then I would go crazy without our beloved dog and companion, or should I say crazier?


I guess, since we already talked around it, I should just proclaim that there are now only twenty-eight (28) days until Christmas, doesn't this holiday seem to come around faster each year, I think it does and so does my bank.

Okay, are you all ready for a change in subject and some pretty terrifying news:  LIONS!, TIGERS!, AND FLYING SNAKES! OH NO!!!!!  hehe slithering snakes can be scary enough, agreed, but add the ability to fly to the equation and you have got one potentially terrifying creature.  Snakes of the genus Chrysopelea, found in South and Southeast Asia, use a technique known as gliding flight to "fly" from one high point to another.  I, in case you don't know, suffer from ophidiaphobia (fear of snakes) so you can imagine how scary I find the thought of flying snakes.

A new study in which the snakes were filmed leaping from one five-story tower to another tower several dozen yards away,  has shown how they angle, position, and undulate themselves during a glide to reduce fall speed and achieve optimal lift, I only mention this stuff because why should I be the only one having disturbing dreams at night.  As you can tell, I'm really in the Christmas mood.  I am.

You're a good man Charlie Brown, and so are you Charles M. Schulz who was the creator of the enormously popular syndicated comic strip Peanuts, which ran continuously from 1950 until 2000, when Schulz announced its end shortly before his death.  Today would have been Mr. Schulz's birthday, I'm saluting him because I loved all of the characters associated with Charlie Brown.  The strip's principal characters include Charlie Brown, a gentle, puzzled boy, usually failing, (this is where Charlie and I differ,) yet always persevering (like me); Lucy, his bossy, know-it-all friend; Linus (a part in the play that I always got stuck playing; its a good part but its not the lead, the lead is on every page!,) a philosophical tyke with a security blanket; and Snoopy a romatic, self-deluded beagle, who got to sing the best song in the musical from "A Boy Named Charlie Brown" that being "Supper Time" I love that song and I can sing it well!

Well, our special time has gone by already and I'm going to let you get on with your lives.   I know you and I have so much to do but it is essential that you find some time to be with yourself and meditate on your life, how fortunate you are, all the blessings you have and all the blessings you give, I talk to alot of you regularly and I'm so happy that you are in my life, gosh, I'm such a lucky man, I really believe that I'm the luckiest man in the world!  I really am!

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Technology

Fun Friday

Date:                                       Friday, November 26th, 2010
Word of the Day:                    consanguineous(kon\san\(g) (GWIN)ee\us); of the same blood; related by birth; descended from the same parent or ancestor

Weight:                                   206 pounds

Goal:                                      lose 100 pounds in one year duration
Pounds to lose:                       74 pounds
Waist Size:                             44 inches
Rowing Duration:                   102 minutes, ten (10) seconds

I love today's word of the same day, I think it has a special something with lots of nobility to it; I love words that have nobility.

Yesterday was wonderful, and being frank I have to tell you, I looked great!  It's true, and I see no sense in having false modesty.   I made the effort to look great and it paid off,  but I did suffer for my beauty let me tell you, the day was bloody hot!

I wore grey flannel pants, with a blue and white jumper (sweater).  My hair worked out, sometimes that part gives me trouble, today it didn't, my skin had a special glow, thanks to years of moisturizing it, I really have a healthy look to my face.  I had on Dolce and Gabanna colongne which is one of my favourite scents; nobody complained about the smell so I guess I got away with wearing it; there are so many places that frown upon people wearing perfumes these days.

Prior to going to dinner at my sister-in-law- Louise's house, I took my kids, Sally, Jessie and Raphael to see the Walt Disney movie "Tangled," I believe I can safely say that we all loved it.  I did have a scare towards to the end of the movie however.

I thought I had put in an envelope that contained quite alot of cash into my pants pocket, and then towards the end of the movie, I felt inside my pocket for the cash and couldn't find it, what a huge and scary thought.  I know there are alot of you out there probably wondering why don't I have travellers cheques and I will address that in a moment; the other thing you may be questioning is why was I carrying around a large amount of cash.

First, I was carrying around a lot of cash because I did not feel comfortable leaving the money inside the house when I was not going to be in the house, I'm funny that way.  I don't have travellers cheques and this is going to seem like a flimsy reason but its true.  Down here in Gainesville, Florida both Zac and  I have experienced alot of difficulty in cashing travellers cheques. 

The banks at home will tell you that Travellers Cheques are treated like cash, not true in Gainesville.  Any and all of the times that we tried to use the cheques was an exercise in frustration and upset.

First, it not only takes alot of time to explain to people what they are; I know its amazing in this day and age that some sales people can be clueless about Travellers Cheques, nonetheless its a fact, they are, second,  we always have to produce at least two pieces of identification and one of the identification always has had to be photo identification and sometimes that wasn't/isn't  enough.

I remember being awfully embarrassed at Toys R Us when they refused to accept our Travellers Cheques.  Louise looked embarrassed as well and she has to live in this town you know.  Nowadays, Zac and I carry cash not always, on our person, actually the cash is hardly ever on ourselves, yesterday just happened to be an aberration and a mistake.  Oh, what happened with the money?, didn't I tell you, I had put my money in another pair of pants which is typical of me so that little story, as well as the movie "Tangled" had a happy ending.

I don't know how your dinner turned out yesterday, but my sister-in-law, Louise, should hold her head high.  Louise put on quite a banquet yesterday, true she had some help from her mother, and I applaude Dina Spring's efforts, her pies are the best in the world, especially the pumpkin, ummm., but most of the credit for the feast that we all took part in, well that credit goes to Louise, she outdid herself. 

Louise, however, credits the wine I brought, and I have to admit that after Louise had a few sips of the bubbly, a few for sure, well you would never know that my sister-in-law had just organized a dinner for fourteen people and one very hungry dog.  By the way, Winter would also like to thank Louise for that moist turkey, I swear I've never had turkey as moist.  It really must have been the wine!

Besides turkey, there were plenty of vegetables and as many of you know, eating fruits and vegetables has long been associated with reduced risk of health problems such as cancer and heart disease, and researchers now say that consuming orange and dark green vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes, and green beans could lower one's risk of disease and death.  So hats off (again) Louise for serving two out of these three vegetables, were all the healthier because of your excellent choices.

Researchers also attribute that consuming orange and dark green vegetables, attribute the reduced risk at least in part, to alpha-carotene, a carotenoid antioxidant believed to promote health by counteracting oxygen-related damage to DNA.  In a recent study, individuals with the highest amounts of alpha-carotene in their blood had up to a thirty-nine (39) percent lower risk of dying than those with only trace amounts, so eat all of the vegetables listed above and smile while your doing it because your body is smiling, was that too corny?

I had a great workout today, I thought I should try to give a little extra after all of that food I ate, and I'm now feeling less guilty about all of the calories I consumed, oh well, today certainly is another day.

What a day today is, did you know that there are now only twenty-nine (29) days until Christmas, that is less than a month folks, yup my good friend St. Nick is calling, but not toay.  Because today is Black Friday! 

Yes sports fans everywhere, today I'm hitting the streets, I'm warning you don't get in my way because when I see something I like, I'm ruthless!  But first I'm going to shower and change, have a cup of coffee, grab my niece Sally and then out the door were-a-going!  Look out world, I've got some money to spend and Sally is here to help me.

Topics coming soon:

Art
Politics
Technology

Thanksgiving Thursday

Date:                                     Thursday, November 25th, 2010
Word of the Day:                   heuristic(hyoo\RIS\tik); serving to indicate or point out; stimulating interest as a means of furthering investigation

Weight:                                 206 pounds
Goal:                                     lose 100 pounds in one year duration
Pounds to lose:                     74 pounds
Waist Size:                            44 inches
Rowing Duration:                87 minutes, two (2) seconds

Happy Thanksgiving to all my American friends and family.  If you are travelling today, please use the utmost caution, do drive carefully, and don't drink and drive, it is possible to have a good time without drinking liquour, as for me, I'm frightening enough sober!

Yesterday afternoon Zac and I went out to do a little shopping and I got quite alot accomplished.  I have been searching the stores down here to find some gloves to wear whilst I row on CC, my hands get quite sweaty and its hard to hold onto the bar so I was very happy to finally find some gloves to wear for this activity.  I bought some shades at Walmart, in addition to purchasing the blue ray disc's of: "Eat, Pray, Love," the movie starring Julia Roberts, Walt Disney`s Diamond version of "Beauty and The Beast" and the biggest money-maker of all time, "Avatar," although for the life of me, I don't quite get why everyone is so in love with this movie. I also found and bought an audio version of Jonathan Franzen's book of "Freedom" which Zac, Winter and I will enjoy on our drive back to Canada.  In addition to "Freedom" I bought an audio copy of "To Kill A Mockingbird" by Harper Lee,  and read by the Oscar winning actress, Sissy Spacek, I'm really looking forward to listening to that book as I loved reading it in High School, University, seeing the movie at least twenty times, but I have never heard it, so when I do finally sit down to listen to it, it will be a satisfying treat, I really can't wait.

There are now only thirty (30) days until Christmas, seriously folks, were getting awfully close to that big and final countdown, I wonder what my next countdown will be?, hmmm. probably Prince William and Kate Middleton's Royal Wedding, yes, I do believe I'll work out how many days there are to that event, and directly after Christmas, I shall start the Royal Wedding Countdown!

I got up rather early this day and so when I finished rowing there wasn't much to do but watch television.  Fortunately, they were running the movie "About a boy" starring Hugh Grant, and this is a movie that I never get tire of seeing, I truly enjoy this movie, thanks alot to the "boy" in the movie which is played by an actor named Nicholas Hault and he plays the part of Marcus.

I recommend to all of you who have never seen this movie to watch it, you won't regret it, the script is great, the acting is top of the class and you'll feel good at the end of it, I guarantee it is worth your time.

I am so frustrated, I have been trying to reach my friend Lily by telephone and I have been very unsuccessful in this endeavour, I'm going to try again today and I don't reach her I just may send out a scout.

My niece and Goddaughter, Sally, telephoned last night as she had badly burned her finger and she wanted medical advice from Zac,  who did try to help Sally, alas, some times with burns you have to let time pass for the wound to heal.

Did you know that a transit of Venus occurs when the planet passes between the Sun and Earth, obscuring a small portion of the Sun's disk.  In 1639, English astronomer Jeremiah Horrocks made the first observation of such a transit by using a telescope to focus the Sun's image onto a white screen and watching as Venus's shadow, appearing as a small black disk, passed across it.  These observations allowed him to estimate the distance from Earth to the Sun more accurately than ever before.

Horrocks' observations allowed him to make a well-informed guess as to the size of Venus (previously thought to be larger and closer to Earth), as well as to make an estimate of the distance between the Earth and the Sun.   His figure of 59 million miles (95 million kilometres, 0.63 AU) was far from the 93 million miles (150 million kilometers) that it is known to be today but it was a more accurate figure than any suggested up to that time. 
I've never been a real science nut but I do find this kind of stuff interesting and thought I would shake up your world by including it in today's post.
 
I'm going to cut the post short now to leave you to enjoy the day, give some thought to all that you have and perhaps give a kind thought to those who don't have as much as you, if this motivates you to help someone who can benefit, well than terrific, either way, it is good to think of someone else other than yourself,  and count your blessings, isn't that what today is supposed to be about!
 
Topics coming soon:
 
Art
Politics
Technology

Watching the World on Wednesday

Date:                                        Wednesday, November 24th, 2010
Word of the Day:                       mithridate(MITH\ri\deyt); a confection believed to contain an anditdote to every poison

Weight:                                     206 pounds
Goal:                                         lose 100 pounds in one year duration
Pounds to lose:                         74 pounds
Waist Size:                               44 inches
Rowing Duration:                      92 minutes, nine (9) seconds

I think I must have some kind of lung infection because I have lately been hacking up quite alot of phlegm when I row, and I'm wheezing quite often, I hope I'm not getting a pneumonia.  My foot, which is still purple, has lost all its swolleness and is still quite painful, I try to stay off of it as much as I can, but I have to live!

Yesterday, Zac, and I went out for breakfast at the 43rd Street Diner which is about four blocks away from the house we are renting.  I had bacon and eggs, over easy, rye toast, which you have to butter yourself, hash browns, and orange juice.  I had had my coffee whilst we were at home.

"All My Children" was something yesterday, the character, David Hayward came back to the show, he wasn't dead after all, this was a big surprise for me!  Yup,  David Hayward came back after a three-month absence.  I guess the actor, Vincent Irizzary had another committment and needed the time off.  The other big entertainment news that I want to share is that Kelly Preston and John Travolta are the proud parents of a brand new baby boy.  Benjamin Travota was born yesterday and is doing well, I'm so happy for the Travolta family, as you know, their son Jett died almost two years ago at the tender age of sixteen.

One more entertainment snippet:  Jennifer Grey and Derek Hough are the newly crowned winners on "Dancing with the Stars"  I have to confess that I'm happy that Bristol Palin did not win; nothing against Ms. Palin, but I don't want her mother garnering any more news than she already gets, I tell you that woman is dangerous!!!!!

Zac and I went to see the movie "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows, Part One" yesterday afternoon.  Out of all the Harry Potter films, I think I liked this one the best, although it was quite long.  I especially loved the character of Doppie!  After the movie, we picked up a pizza and brought it home for dinner.  On our arrival home, Winter put on quite a show to see us, she does this even if were only gone fifteen minutes, bless her furry little heart!
 

 Are you ready?  There are now only thirty-one (31) days until Christmas, have you started to ho yet?

I have to confess that you, my loyal readers are tough.  I thought I was being quite clever yesterday when I wrote in my post that I was going to the airport to get a patdown, really, I thought this was funny, and quite timely, I mean "patdowns" are all in the news these days, but none of you made a comment, Lily, I'm so disappointed!, maybe you're all just busy shopping!

A story that alot of people are following down here, and I'm actually slightly interested as well, is the Amanda Knox story.  Amanda Knox is an American girl who was studying abroad in Italy and was charged and convicted with first-degree murder.  Today, Amanda Knox starts her appeal process, if the girl is innocent, I wish her well, if she did it, I hope the bitch rots there in prison!  Sorry folks, but I can't condone murder!!!

Since Black Friday is just a couple of days away, for American people, that is, everyone from big box chains to mom-and-pop convenience stores gets in on the act, offering steeply discounted merchandise to kick off the Christmas shopping season.  But Black Friday isn't for the faint of heart. To get the best deals, you need to make a list, draw up a budget and do your homework.  Here then are some tips that I have devised for you:  gather wish lists from your family members early.  It may sound crazy, but if you get their wish lists early, you can scope out the going retail price on big ticket items to make sure you really are getting a good deal on Black Friday, you may remember that I gave this tip before when I spoke of planning for Christmas. 


Make a budget and stick to it. Sales are wonderful things, but if you can't afford the item,  whether it's on sale or not, you shouldn't be buying it.  I strongly encourage and advise you not to go into debt to give someone three seconds of happiness!  Trust me, I've been in debt and its not fun!

Check out Black Friday ads at the Black Friday Ads website, one should always do their research.  The site posts insider information on Black Friday sales weeks and even months in advance, and it includes information on just about every major chain store in the United States (U.S.)   Check it early and often so you can plan your Black Friday attack with laser-like precision.

Make a list of the items you plan to buy at Black Friday sales and follow it.  Retailers use steeply discounted bait items to get you into their stores in the hopes that you will make impulse purchases of more expensive items, which can mean you'll blow your budget.  Make a list, find your item, buy it and get out of there.  It's like being ahead at a casino.  I seen and heard so many times of people who were quite ahead in their winnings at a casino and then gave everything back, and more, because they decided to press their luck, my advice for this is, don't

Give yourself a gift: avoid paying with credit cards, I never use credit cards and to avoid temptation, I leave them at home.  The money you save buying discounted items on Black Friday will likely be paid two- or three-fold if you are unable to pay off your credit card balance in full each month.   High interest rates, over-limit fees and late fees pile up mighty quickly, so just don't do it.  Pay with cash, (like me,) a cheque (but not if I'm behind you, please,)  or your debit card.

Get a good night's rest the night before.   Chances are you'll be up before dawn to hit the most desirable sales.  Remember to wear sensible shoes and comfortable clothing.  And bring a water bottle and a snack.  It will keep you energized for a long day of shopping, and your head will be clear to make wise purchases.

Find out the stores gift return policy, and save your receipts.  It's inevitable that no matter how well you plan for Black Friday, you'll end up having to return something.  I can't stress enough the importance of finding out returns policy, please check them out carefully!

As much as you may love your together time, kids, husbands and pets are probably better left at home on Black Friday.  I, of course, am not following my own advice as my niece Sally telephoned me yesterday to ask if she could go shopping with me, how could I say no?

Topics coming soon:

Art
Politics
Technology

Trust Tuesday

 

Date:                                        Tuesday, November 23rd, 2010
Word of the Day:                     enspirit(en\SPIR\it); to infuse life into; enliven
Weight:                                     206 pounds
Goal:                                         lose 100 pounds in one year duration
Pounds to lose:                         74 pounds
Waist Size:                                44 inches
Rowing Duration:                     93 minutes, thirty-one (31) seconds

There are now only thirty-two (32) to the big fat jolly one, not me, okay, I'll say it more specifically and accurately, there are now thirty-two days until Christmas.    I'll be opening up presents on Chrismas Eve, because that is the tradition in my sister-in-law, Louise's house.  I guess I could hold onto the presents we will be giving the children until Christmas Day, but I think it is best to let them open up all of their presents at once, we'll see
 

I experienced a rush of endorphins while I was on CC this morning, really, towards the end of my workout session I had a rush of heightened feelings that I believe were endorphins, how about that?

I have a complaint regarding the television programming down here, I really don't like it.  Before I left Canada, TVLAND had daily started running episodes of :  Mary Tyler Moore, Bob Newhart, Murphy Brown and Designing Women and I got into the habit of watching these classic television comedies, well, now I'm out of the habit because these great comedies are not shown down here.  I'm hoping that someone in charge of television programming down here in Gainesville, Florida might see my blog and decide to change it's daily lineup but I seriously doubt it.

The weather again today is uncomparable again in giving us the nicest glorious and warm days reminiscent of our summer, how lucky I am.

It is horrific news again now that North Korea has opened fire on South Korea, I don't know what they're fighting about but any war I feel is completely unjustified and I hope that the war is soon over.  The other big news is that there will be a Royal Wedding, April 29th at Westminster Abbey, yes Prince William and Kate Middleton are saying their "I do's" in Springtime, how lovely, I'm so happy for everyone concerned.

I have been doing some research on sleep (sleeping) because my sleep has been greatly changed since I am down here in the land of the South.  I am only sleeping, at best, four (4) hours a night, which isn't nearly enough.

I do not use the bedroom as an office and I leave my laptop in the living room to avoid temptation, I try not to nap during the day, this is awfully difficult when one doesn't sleep well at night.   I exercise in the day so that my body is not racing at night, in fact, as you all know, I have a healthy regular exercise routine which is supposed to aid in helping one sleep, I also avoid spicy food all of the time but I also make sure that I do not use sugar or caffeine four hours prior to going to bed, I think I'm going to try and meditate again, I signed up to the Transcdental Meditation (TM) Program back in 1981 but I stopped doing it, alas, since sleep is so important, I'm going to try the TM again.  I'll keep you posted on my progress, or lack therof, of my sleep.

Today would have been the birthday of one of my horror idols, Mr. Boris Karloff.  London native William Henry Pratt adopted the stage name Boris Karloff while touring as an actor in Canada.  After settling in Hollywood in 1919, Mr. Karloff began acting in silent films and achieved stardom playing the monster in Frankenstein (1931).  Thereafter, typecast as a horror movie villain, Karloff went on to appear in more than 100 films.  Boris Karloff's most famous television performance was in the 1966 animated special "How the Grinch Stole Christmas," in which he voiced the voice of "The Grinch!" bet you didn't remembr that, or did you?

I don't have much on my plate today so I'm thinking of going out to the airport to get a patdown.  I don't have a flight anywhere, I just want the patdown!!!!, its been a long time you know.

Anyway, that's it for me, I want to watch the news to stay informed about what's going on in Korea, I hope all of you have a great day.
Topics coming soon:

Art
Politics
Technology