Hill Reaquaintance

I'm riding the bike up the hill again. It's getting easier, not easy, but not real hard either. I use the Marine Corps CD running cadence to spur me up the hill. I figure if they can say it while running I should be able to listen and pedal. I'm staying in the low 290's, but I can feel that I have added some muscle, because of the way I move and fit into my clothes. Still fat, but not mushy fat.....beer belly fat. The hill will take care of that problem. Still doing isometrics. Yesterday I went to the park with Nancy and she got behind me so when I got to the place where I exercise I turned around and couldn't see her. Then I see a man sitting on a park bench a couple of hundred feet away and who is seated right next to him? Oh yeah, just snuggled right next to him. It was such a funny sight. It was the bench where she and I often sit and gaze out towards the ocean.

I've got a new run assignment starting on December 4th and ending on January 12th. It's a night run to Escondido (about 20 miles from Oceanside). 1600 until 0001, Tuesdays thru Saturdays.

Took Joy to Coco's Restaurant tonight; nice to get out once in a while.

I now sponsor a five year old Filipino boy living in the Philippine Islands. He has a real family so I am not exactly sure what's going on, but I should find out more in a week or so.

Another Crock Pot Success!

I love making up recipes for the crock pot. The standard is usually: lentils, pinto beans, tomato sauce, chicken broth, onions, celery, brocholli, olive oil, an assortment of herbs and spices and an occasional experiment such as adding 1/2 cup coffee. The batch I made yesterday will be enough to last throughout the week. It makes packing lunch quite easy when I use the small plastic containers.

My liquid breakfasts are usually made in the blender with steel cut oats, quinoa, (these are soaked in boiled water from the kettle for 3 minutes on up) Ultra Meal Plus (Metagenics), Triple Greens Powder (Purity Products), cinnamon, powdered milk, 1/2 pear, 1/2 banana, add ice cubes and water then blend. A powerful drink.

Check out quinoa. Supposedly quite a bit of nourishment compared to other grains.

Called in sick

Called in sick about an hour ago, not sick; I just didn't want to go into work. I am really jacked with my decision to attend Unity. It really feels like a fit. So after attending Unity I went to Best Buy and burned a great CD, Jesus centered from modern gospel groups along with a modern beat. After that I returned home and watched the Chargers win and then watched the Bears barely win against the Broncos; The Eagles just about pulled it off against the Patriots, but not to be at the final gun. This truly is a great team, but it is so hard to imagine that they would dominate the likes of the '85 Bears or the Miami 17 and 0 team way back when.......which means that defense dictates: Keep the offense off the field and they can't score. As I recall the two teams referenced were absolute terrors on defense.

I'm now listening to Rose Mary Clooney's, Hey There, and it reminded me of my past: my mother and father.........after she had returned after a summer excursion with her sister and brother-in-law in the east. A sandhill too steep.

Spiders and Unity

An observation Joy and I have made is the fact that we don't see many spiders or insects inside the house anymore. We do have one species of spider in the house, but we consider them our guests, the spindly spider known as "Daddy Long Legs." I watched a "Daddy" hone in on another species of spider the other day and make short work of it in deed! Its venom is as poisonous a that of a Black Widow's, but it doesn't have the ability to lock onto human skin so we're safe. They are almost translucent and so thin as to not be noticed. If anyone who reads this have any Daddy Long Legs around encourage them to take up residence with you as they work for free and don't pollute the environment. They often take up residence in the bathroom or at the floor and ceiling corners.

Today, I attended Unity Christ Church in Carlsbad. I enjoyed the service and plan to make it my place of fellowship. Using a Google search will explain the philosophy and beliefs of Unity. I agree with their observations and I need some fellowship so I am now one of them. Interestingly, there is no membership per se, and "Unity does not emphasize formal membership and has never been preoccupied with gaining converts merely for the sake of numbers. In fact, Unity says that one can subscribe to its teachings and still retain membership in any other church. Unity's viewpoint is that there need be no conflict of religious beliefs. Unity believes that there is good in every religion and that we should keep our minds open in order to find the good when an opportunity is presented. In keeping with this attitude, people of various religions the world over find good in the practical Christian principles taught and promulgated by Unity. Unity has no strict creed or dogma. One might describe Unity as a religious philosophy with an 'open end,' seeking to find God's truth in all life, wherever it may be."

Workout experiment day

Today I will experiment with bicycle exercise. Collin told me of this approach about a year ago and since then I've read similar veins of thought. I'll go to the bike trail and go "balls to the wall" for one minute and then cruise for four then repeat these series six times.

The Miracle Seven exercises seem to be producing results. I've lost about three inches in the waist line. Today I'm weighed in at 293 lbs. I expect to be in the 280's range by December 1st. I believe that yesterday was the first time I didn't do any "Seven" since starting the program. None of the exercises require lying down and that's very convenient.

I've been listening and reading C.S. Lewis and Joel Olsteen. I want to attach myself to some kind of Christian fellowship. The Unity program in Carlsbad seems interesting. With the exception of being pissed off in stressful moments I've concluded that I live my life by the principles of Christ, i.e., charity, kindness and respect for life so why not find a group of like minded people? It's kind of awkward if Joy doesn't go with me, but what the hey she might.

Work assignments for next week are from 0500 until 1230 everyday. This is very good.

Powder puff day at work

Didn't drive at all today. Stayed in the drivers room talked, played chess and even watched a full episode of Star Trek, circa 1970. After work I rode my bicycle to the bike trail which runs along the San Luis Rey River. All in all I recorded close to 1,000 points to the Presidents Challenge Website. Will definitely work tomorrow at 0500 until 1430 doing a coastal route to La Jolla and back to Oceanside. It's a very beautiful drive and one that goes by very quickly.

I worked up a crock pot preparation last night with tomato paste and lentils being the main stock and then adding a variety of veggies and herbs and olive oil. Very good tasting. I especially like the addition of chopped cheese string fingers to the mix.

It's a little after 8:00 p.m. so I have to pack lunch, shower and hit the rack.

How the time flys by

November 18, 2007

I've gone full time with NCTD, started September 21st. Am keeping up to the task, however a full workday feels differently than the former 20 hour work weeks. Planning on working full time until April of 2009.

Joy has been diagnosed with CLL leukemia. Since the diagnosis about five months ago she has been holding steady with her blood counts and therefore no chemotherapy or the likes. She doesn't aggressively pursue any lifestyle changes, i.e. smoke, drink and exercise. I am doing what I can, but I have to accept the fact that change is a very difficult thing to do, not impossible, but nonetheless very pressing.

I am struggling with lifestyle changes, namely exercise, weight loss and reduced beer consumption. I've exercised steadily since November 3rd and plan to do some aerobics after I complete this log. I now weight 295 and I am consulting with a naturopathic physician in Carlsbad.