Bike Back From The Shop 310.0

I got the bike back from the shop and it's all spiffy and tuned.

Apparently my HDL cholesterol is not in the proper range, my doctor suggested statins, but I really don't want to unless its a last resort. For the time being I will plunge into an exercise program for the next three months and with the expected weight loss as well as nutritious foods going into my body I will then take another blood test in hopes of a satisfactory reading. I expect a noticeable change.

From this point on I will watch the amounts of food that I eat and I will get a minimum of 20 minutes on the Health Rider per day. With gradual increments I plan on riding 20 miles a day on the bicycle.

I am eliminating the word "procrastinate" from my mind!

Partial test results

Here's a portion of my blood testing results: I should see drastic changes when my weight gets down to 210 lbs or so. Right now I'm plateaued at: 312 but I really haven't been methodically working at any kind of exercise program yet.

I did a Health Rider 20 minute routine yesterday so maybe this is the beginning.

95
Component Your Value Standard Range
GLUCOSE, FASTING 70-99 mg/dL


Type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is a lifelong disease that affects the way your body uses food for energy. The disease develops when the cells of the body become resistant to insulin or when the pancreas cannot make enough insulin, which causes high blood sugar.

Insulin is a hormone that helps your body's cells get needed energy from sugar. When insulin is not able to do its job, too much sugar builds up in your blood. Over time, this extra sugar in your blood can lead to problems with your eyes, heart, blood vessels, nerves, and kidneys.

Common symptoms of diabetes are increased thirst, frequent urination, increased hunger, unusual weight loss, and extreme fatigue. But in type 2 diabetes, blood sugar levels rise so slowly that a person usually does not have symptoms and may have the disease for many years before being diagnosed with it.

Type 2 is the most common type of diabetes. People who develop type 2 diabetes often are overweight and not physically active. It is most common in people who are older than 40 but is becoming more common in children. Type 2 diabetes used to be called adult-onset diabetes, or non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM).

Type 2 diabetes can be prevented or at least delayed if a person maintains a healthy body weight and exercises regularly. Treatment focuses on keeping blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure at safe levels. A balanced diet and regular exercise are effective for many people, but some may need one or more medicines, including insulin, to help control blood sugar levels.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

24
Component Your Value Standard Range
ALT 17-63 units/L

Test Overview

An alanine aminotransferase (ALT) test measures the amount of this enzyme in the blood. ALT is found mainly in the liver, but also in smaller amounts in the kidneys , heart , muscles, and pancreas . ALT formerly was called serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT).

ALT is measured to see if the liver is damaged or diseased. Low levels of ALT are normally found in the blood. But when the liver is damaged or diseased, it releases ALT into the bloodstream, which makes ALT levels go up. Most increases in ALT levels are caused by liver damage.

The ALT test is often done along with other tests that check for liver damage, including aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and bilirubin. Both ALT and AST levels are reliable tests for liver damage.

Watered body 309.8

I read a factoid sheet the other day about water and the human body; One of its attributes: a properly filled tank (body) could eliminate back and joint stiffness. Five days ago I began ingesting at least 64 ounces of H2O and sure enough, I'm already walking much better, far out! ("Far out"...... oh how I pine for the '60's).

I just read an article, Seize The Day, by Derick Lin, in it he constructs a grid 31 X 12 (days in a year) then talks of the fleetingness of a year. I had never considered a graft as such. Before they've either been weekly or monthly.

Hopefully, I'll pick up my bicycle from the shop today. Any money I've saved on gas has been amply replaced by the cost in repairs and upkeep. I do like my bike though, it's a very comfortable and practical ride.

Speaking of rides, congratulations to the Wyoming herd! Dylan and company did 108 miles in two days. Denise bragged about how Collin was so good that he pedaled all 50 miles of upgrade backwards. Does this man have any limits?

Next week there will be a reunion of about eight friends and their wives at John Smith's house in Huntington Beach. Unfortunately Doug McLean won't be there because of physical problems. He has to go under the knife for repair to his neck or he'll face the distinct possibility of paralysis. I am guessing he'll go for it within a month's time. Stuff happens.

I have this feeling that I may finish topping off my garden today. It's remained fallow for over a year and a half so this is quite a propitious occasion. Of course there are some college football games on TV so there will be sirens which will be calling me wayward.

It's time for a power packed breakfast. Not too sure what the menu is for this morning, but I am sure it will be nutritious!

Say It Ain't So Joe 310.0

I was thinking of writing a nasty memo to Joe Wilson, the asshole Representative from South Carolina, but I figured a vent here is just fine. When I heard him blurt out to President Obama, "You lie" I thought it was some kind of outsider, not someone from Congress. I've figured this political whore out. He saw all the press coverage the town hall astro turfers were getting so he thought he'd seize the moment and really make some political hay in the biggest town hall of them all.

South Carolina, you can be proud of this warmed over turd.
_________________


The following is a partial list of his accomplishments:

Wilson was born in Charleston, South Carolina, to Hugh de Veaux Wilson and Wray Graves Wilson.

He was active in South Carolina Republican politics from a young age, participating in his first Republican campaign in 1962. As a teenager he joined the campaign of Congressman Floyd Spence, later working as an aide to Senator Strom Thurmond.

Wilson obtained a bachelor's degree from Washington and Lee University in 1969, obtained a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 1972, worked as a real estate attorney, and co-founded the law firm Kirkland, Wilson, Moore, Taylor & Thomas[1] in West Columbia, where he practiced for over 25 years. Wilson was also a Judge in Springdale.

From 1972 to 1975, Wilson served in the United States Army Reserve, and then as a Staff Judge Advocate in the South Carolina Army National Guard assigned to the 218th Mechanized Infantry Brigade until retiring from military service as a Colonel in 2003.

In 1981 and 1982, during the Reagan Administration, Wilson served as Deputy General Counsel for former Governor Jim Edwards at the U.S. Department of Energy.

Wilson was elected to the South Carolina Senate in 1984 as a Republican from Lexington County, and never missed a statutory session in 17 years.[citation needed] After the Republicans gained control of the chamber in 1996, he became the first Republican to serve as Chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee. Wilson was a member of the Columbia College Board of Visitors and Coker College Board of Trustees.
( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Wilson_%28U.S._politician%29)
_____________________

To think that a person with such experience would commit an egregious error in judgment as this is unthinkable. He's an opportunistic political whore who certainly would have claimed all of the glory for such a despicable display of bad manners if only his cohorts would have gone along.

He contritely called the White House last night and apologized only because he didn't get away with it and not because he felt bad that his actions had been in poor taste. He's a racist just like all of the birthers and death panelists are. Joe, I despise every sinew, every drop of blood and every hair on your head ( btw I don't see too many on that comb over dome of yours).

"Say it ain't so, Joe" was a banner headline in 1919 about the infamous Chicago Black Sox betting scandal. The asshole Joe I'm writing about collects a bunch of health benefits and salaried tax money from the United States Government and then turns around and rants about how corrupt DC is. Raw Story points out that, "Among Wilson’s top contributors are the American Hospital Association, a lobby group that represents the interests of hospitals and health networks, and the American Medical Association, which represents physicians."

Joe, you have a great gig...... please say it ain't so.

Magic Number? 307.6 redux

I just hate it when I push the wrong key and send out blank blogs.

So perhaps 307.6 lbs is the magic number which makes arthritic pain in my knees subside? I am at 98% recovery now; what a relief!

Went out just a while ago and bought a veggie Subway Submarine Sandwich, then went to the Z-Market and purchased an avocado. I just couldn't resist buying some homemade salsa with ever so little shrimp in it to add to the sandwich. My first backslide since becoming a vegan.

I'm moving right along with the Luminosity.com thing. I figured with all of the scientific information out there on preventative steps to ward off dementia that I might as well jump on the band wagon. I've really progressed in skill level in the two or three months that I've been at it. I'm even in the 90 percentile group of one set of skills (since I can't remember offhand it surely can't be about memory lol :)

Brain Profile

1. Brain Area
   Your BPI
   How do you compare?

   Percentile Comparison

   Your percentile for each category shows you how you compare with other Lumosity users who are within five years of your age. For example, if your percentile in a given category is 40%, that means that you have a higher BPI than 40% of the Lumosity users in your age bracket.

   Note that since you're being compared to other people training with Lumosity, your percentile rank isn't as high as it would be if you were just compared to the general population.

1. Overall

   977
   83%

2. Speed

   953
   79%

   Train Speed

3. Memory

   967
   87%

   Train Memory

4. Attention

   821
   76%

   Train Attention

5. Flexibility

   1131
   91%

   Train Flexibility

6. Problem Solving

   1014
   84%

   Train Problem Solving

Not a lot going on. After this post I'll finish the other half of the sub sandwich and listen to lecture #7 about the Spartans. After that I think I'll try to give the car its first wash in over a year! Then Nancy will get her run around the neighborhood and I'll go inside and finish watching Top Gun ( I haven't watched TG for at least six months, I'm slipping ).

Somewhere I am going to try to figure out some kind of exercise scheme. I think my shoulder is ready now for some body weight.

Got to take my bike in for some sprocket inspection....... it's making clattering noises. Guess I'll drop by Cream of the Crop and pick up some vittles while I am in the vicinity.

lumosity addiction

I've overdosed a tad too much with the website, Lumosity.com. It costs a nominal fee, but I felt it might be worth it to exercise the gray matter. I get off on trying to memorize various grid patterns and seeing myself fail. I stayed with Monster Garden for over five hours straight! My forte is a game involving a cafe, customers and food orders which involves no grids.

Joy and I are about to watch a Netflix movie, The Agronomist, I have no idea what it's about.

Not a heck of lot going on......... just putzing around the house and yard.

Leapin' Lizards! 312

The coolest thing happened just a while ago. I had watered off the patio and was dressed in shorts and thongs relaxing in the chair when I noticed a lizard crawl on to the patio and drink from the wet concrete deck. He was about eight feet from me and I was kicked back taking it easy with my feet out when a bee lands on my big toe. The lizard's head turns towards the bee's movement and before I know is happening he scurries over to the foot thong and up on my toe and seizes the bee in his mouth. Then he slides down my foot, gives the bee a couple of chomps before swallowing and stays next to my foot for about fifteen seconds before scampering off the deck and into the planted section. I was excited when I first saw a lizard catch a spider and then a fly, but for me to actually be part of the hunt and have a ringside seat was the ultimate commune with nature wow!

24 Hours 312.4 (24 hrs later: 308.6)

Today, I am going to attempt to record all of my activities starting now at: 7:06 a.m.
7:06 a.m. - adjusted wall clock as it was running four minutes fast and I simply cannot function without the clock being in sych with the computer dash clock. Why don't I leave the wall clock be and use the computer dash clock? As I mentioned in the first twelve words of this journal I am recording all of my activities, no judgment only recording. (I noticed the time is 7:12 a.m. and I haven't gotten the wall clock down, because I'm writing about the wall clock, time and what I'm going to do ......... story of my life (7:13 a.m.); just reread what I've just written and it's now 7:15 a.m., the wall clock is still running too fast. The wall clock is down and on the desk! Now it's 7:23 a.m. ....... no, wait, that's the fast time, because I haven't adjusted it yet! It's really 7:19 a.m. I just wasted another minute waiting for the second hand to get to the twelve o'clock position, but it overran by 2 seconds so I'm spending an extra minute more allowing it to go around for 58 more clicks before I pull out the AA battery. I have everything set and was even able to hang the clock back on the wall in one try. The time now is 7:30 a.m. I can see that this is going to be a very productive and insightful day.

7:31 a.m.
I am feeling really uncomfortable already. How do I write what I am going to do and do it without wasting time writing about what it is I am going to do in the first place? ( 7:33 a.m. at the time of rereading this).
7:34 a.m. Fuck it, I'm going to make some coffee.

Between 7:34 a.m. and 8:46 a.m.:
I went to my bedroom, hugged Nancy, then found a blank spiral notebook to use while away from the computer. Next, I went outside in search of a pen I remember placing on the patio table last night. Couldn't find the pen, but discovered some pumpkin seeds I had left outside. Decided to eat breakfast. Heated up a cup (Megan's pyrex glass container) of concoction from the night before and downed that while dining at the T.V. table tray while watching Book TV C-Span2; Ralph Peters from the NY Post was being interviewed. I computed and projected, i.e., 7.2 lbs weight loss in 21 days divided by 365/21 = 17.3809524 times 7.2 = 125.142857 lbs for the year. (I worry about the last .142857 lbs). Walked into the kitchen and sliced an orange (did you know there is no word in the English language that rhymes with orange?) into quarters, ate it then finally sat down and had my first cup of coffee (now working on my second cup).

8:46 a.m. - 9:47 a.m.
Reading about Cervical Spinal Stenosis which is the diagnosis for Doug's condition.

Did a bunch of stuff.........end of journal (perhaps I might be a candidate for AADD).

365/35 = 10.4285714 X (322.0 - 308.6) = -139.742851 + 308.600000 = 169 lbs on 8/24/10

Library reminder: The Healing of America: A Global Quest for Better, Fairer and Cheaper Medical Care

August 21, 2009 310.8

Another Friday, how quickly the weeks go by. I was thrilled to know that Megan is running on all cylinders now. Avery called me the other day to say hello. Grampa sounds like pop paah which sounds like grampa to me :) I say hello to Dylan but for now he's into the moment and not any salutations. I was impressed with Collin and John's third place finish at the Boulder Muddy Buddy contest. Way to go Collin! You too, John.

I'm hovering around the 310 lbs level now. This current round of weight loss I attribute to a vegan eating approach, no beer and some auto-suggestions I listen to on CD's or on iTunes.

I still attend meetings on a daily basis and find that I am developing some very nice friendships. It's amazing how the world looks when I'm not pissed off.

Nancy is doing well. She decided to abruptly stop in the course of one of our bicycle rides to a morning meeting. I picked up a couple of scrapes to the elbow and knee. Nancy still doesn't know what happened. All is well with her as long as she gets her one "greenie" treat a day.

I met a fellow today who invited me to play horseshoes in his backyard sometime next week. Then yesterday, Jimmy, the owner of Z-Market asked me to call him and makes plans for some chess games to be played on the tables in front of his market. I guess I'll have hit the Nirvana level if ever I can find someone to play pepper in the park.

So things are going well. I have lots of things to do, hopefully my energy level will increase with the coming weight loss.

Aug. 13, 2009 317.0

I've just returned from my morning meeting with Nancy accompanying me alongside my bicycle. A cool overcast morning kept the heat away. I've noticed I am riding just a bit farther up the hill now. I'm projecting that I'll be pedaling all the way to its crest when I record a solid 310 pounds. I'm definitely getting stronger. Arthritis is still bothering my knees, but not my bicycling so this is very good.

Next Monday night I'll drive up to Hollywood with a friend to watch another friend participate in a rap song competition. I wasn't aware of his creative abilities until I happened upon a conversation and then found out about this particular competition.

There will be some blue grass music over in Vista a couple of weeks from now. I'm hoping that Joy and I will be able to go.

We've been adding to the economy this past month: a new computer, a new microwave, a new hot water heater and an air popcorn popper, whew!

August 10th was my six month of sobriety; I'll take a token at tomorrow's morning meeting. It has been an interesting six months and much easier since I've bought into the spirituality of the AA program. Not stepping on toes and keeping my mouth shut and my eyes open has helped immensely too.

Megan, I hope that you're feeling better.

August 10th 314.6

Nancy and I have been having quite a bit of exercise lately since I've begun to bicycle again. My odometer turned to 3,000 miles over the weekend.

Imagine my surprise upon coming back online over the weekend when I found out about Megan's pain problems. I love you, Megan. Get well.

I weighed in at 5:00 a.m. 314.6; at 10:30 a.m. 313.6 and at 4:30 p.m. 315.2.

Not too much going on in Oceanside. A few meetings, naps and snacks. Life is good.
__________________________________________________________________________________

It's an hour and a half later since the last sentence was written. I just have to exclaim about my food concoction sans recipe.

Here's my rave for tonight:

Note: all ingredients are placed in a colander steamer and steamed for ten minutes before serving.

pre-cooked lentils and brown rice
microwaved potato
spinach
four asparagus all below are chopped
onion
cabbage leaves
Roma tomato
brocholi
seasonings and salt
Dejon mustard
zuchinni squash
Grapeseed Oil Vegenaise
two corn tortillas (diced)
one slice w/wheat bread (diced)

After steaming for ten minutes, flip ingredients into a stainless steel bowl and stir to cool. Very very easy to make. BON APETITE!

August 7, 2009 317.6

We updated our emailing system .......... bought a new iMac ...... go figure. The old iMac which Carol and Herb so graciously gave to us some five years ago had hard drive problems. Now we have all the bells and whistles with this one.

The sound system is terrific; Presently I'm listening to birdsongradio.com and the whole garage is immersed in bird calls, rustling leaves, flowing brook waters and wind sounds. You can also bring it up on the internet or go to "radio" in iTunes and locate "ambient" then click on for background bird songs and nature sounds as you go about your business on the internet.

The McDougall vegan thing is going well. I did purchase another paperback from Amazon.com ...... The Gabriel Method ...... it appears to dovetail nicely with McDougall. I also picked up a killer Chinese CD: Elixir Yang Ying.

Just returned from a morning meeting with Nancy running along side the bike. We're figuring out this riding compatibility and doing well may I add. Last night we rode to a night meeting on the other side of the hill. She now has a collar for night bicycle riding, a white LED light on an elastic collar. (from PETCO)

I'm very satisfied with reading The Gabriel Method; it's a visualization and meditation method of altering eating styles and relaxing the body into acceptance for this approach.

Life is good. The following is from an email my friend sends me: ***********************************************************

As Bill Sees It

Willing To Believe, p. 219

Do not let any prejudice you may have against spiritual terms
deter you from honestly asking yourself what they might mean to
you. At the start, this was all we needed to commence spiritual
growth, to effect our first conscious relation with God as we
understood Him. Afterward, we found ourselves accepting many
things which had seemed entirely out of reach. That was growth.
But if we wished to grow we had to begin somewhere. So at first we
used our own conceptions of God, however limited they were.

We needed to ask ourselves but one short question: "Do I now
believe, or am I even willing to believe, that there is a Power
greater than myself?" As soon as a man can say that he does
believe, even in this small degree, or is willing to believe, we
emphatically assure him that he is on his way.

Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 47

***********************************************************

Wednesday Roundup 322.2

In a couple of hours I'll head down to the transit center, catch the Coaster to San Diego and then walk to Petco Park and watch the Padres play the Marlins. I don't even have a glove to take to catch foul balls! I'll be back within six hours which makes it a nice outing.

Things have been pretty mellow around the household. I've moved bits and pieces in my bedroom bringing the clutter ever closer to a forgotten past.

The six hours have elapsed, but I didn't go to the game. I thought it would be too hot. A few years back that wouldn't have made any difference. The times they do change.

Had two english muffins with peanut butter for dinner. The tale of the morning scale awaits for me (I predict 320.6).

Nancy's had her bike run for the night and is now in the back seat of the car resting; very similar to how Herman would like to camp out in Mom's car and make believe he was going to far away places where fire hydrants abounded.

Monday Morning Meanderings 318.8

I got quite a bit (relative term) done yesterday. I got my bicycle back, but now my knee has reverted to the "gotcha" phase. I'm not going to do anything rash, but I am going to go about my business of physical recovery and work around any discomfort, i.e., avoid the pain but find use for the other extremities of my biomass.

Last night I took Nancy for a car ride and before I knew it the old folks car(Buick) had mysteriously guided us to the parking lot in front of Barnes & Noble. Came out of there with a Japanese CD of traditional music for my insomnia, Brain Boot Camp for my shoes and a book about clutter control for Joy's bedroom.

My weight has dropped into the teens as I had anticipated would happen. If my fingers and toes are an accurate abacus they show that this is the twelfth day of the 12 Day McDougall Diet Program. I know I can handle this. Saturday I took Joy to the In and Out burger stand and while she munched on an oozy cheese burger I, on the other hand, had three oranges, one banana and a tiny sliver of onion that had fallen out from her burger bun.

So the morning agenda is a KoK meeting, a merrigold transplant, some reading, CD listening, bird watching and petting Nancy. The afternoon will be just as rambunctious I'm sure.
__________________________________________________________________________________



TWENTY-FOUR HOURS A DAY

A.A. Thought For The Day

We must be loyal to the group and to each member of it. We must
never accuse members behind their backs or even to their faces.
It's up to them to tell us themselves if anything is wrong. More than
that, we must try not to think bad things about any members, because
if we do, we're consciously or unconsciously hurting that person. We
must be loyal to each other if A.A. is going to be successful. While
we're on this lifeboat, trying to save ourselves and each other from
alcoholism, we must be truly and sincerely helpful to each other. Am I
a loyal member of my group?

Meditation For The Day

Carry out God's guidance as best you can. Leave the results to Him.
Do this obediently and faithfully with no question that if the working
out of the guidance is left in God's hands, the results will be all
right. Believe that the guidance God gives you has already been
worked out by God to produce the required results according to your
case and in your circumstances. So follow God's guidance according
to your conscience. God has knowledge of your individual life and
character, your capabilities and your weaknesses.

Prayer For The Day
<> I pray that I may live according to the dictates of my conscience. I
pray that I may leave the results to God.

Sunday Morning Jitters 320.6

8:15 a.m.

Had some decaf coffee this morning and then as an afterthought I spiked it with some instant coffee.......nice little kick to it :) Check out the weight report above, my bod is about to enter the teens. I think I'm ready to roll.

Megan's glass Pyrex bowls are really a great idea. There are 3-cup containers, 2's and 1's. Today I'll limit myself to three cups of mixed starches and 3 cups of mixed fruits plus half a ton of water.

I have the Verbena to plant this morning. I feel fairly energetic at the moment.
_____________________________________________________________________________________

Verbena ...... check
Health Rider ... check
Food control ... check
Knee problems... crap

Feelin' Clean on Saturday 322.0

So far the vegan approach is approachable. My main source of starches and proteins are potatoes, squash, red kidney beans, lentils, yams and rice. Veggies are whatever I put the knife to. Fruits are mainly melons, oranges, mangoes and bananas. I've switched to green tea, but today I just brewed up some decaf coffee.

Health wise I feel very good. I have noticed that my overall body is not as sore anymore. I still have swelling in the lower extremities, but not so much as when I returned from three straight days of driving home from Wyoming. That kind of stint turns my ankles into swollen softballs. My skin is not as oily and my mind seems to be a bit more clear.

Having a tough time getting started on a regimented exercise program, but I can feel it in my bones; the time is near. I'm planning on moving the health rider out to the garage and putting it just outside my sliding glass bedroom door. My bicycle should be good to go by Monday night at the latest. I'm still gun shy with doing push ups, because of the shoulder.

I bought some plants for the front. The lobelia I planted earlier are a partial shade plant which I didn't realize so I bought some Verbena (trailing) to replace them.

AA is going well. Anytime I get bored I just drive three minutes down the hill and I am at the North County Fellowship Center for any of three meetings throughout the day and night. King of Kings will be no more as of August; The 7:00 a.m. meeting will move just up the hill to another church setting. I've got 158 days of sobriety and learning the AA approach is beginning to gel.

WE AGNOSTICS

Yes, we of agnostic temperament have had these thoughts and experiences. Let us make haste to reassure you. We found that as soon as we were able to lay aside prejudice and express even a willingness to believe in a Power greater than ourselves, we commenced to get results, even though it was impossible for any of us to fully define or comprehend that Power, which is God.
Much to our relief, we discovered we did not need to consider another’s conception of God. Our own conception, however inadequate, was sufficient to make the approach and to effect a contact with Him. As soon as we admitted the possible existence of a Creative Intelligence, a Spirit of the Universe underlying the totality of things, we began to be possessed of a new sense of power and direction, provided we took other simple steps. We found that God does not make too hard terms with those who seek Him. To us, the Realm of Spirit is broad, roomy, all inclusive; never exclusive or forbidding to those who earnestly seek. It is open, we believe, to all men.

p. 46 AA Book

How Am I Doing? 324.6

Learning the intricacies of the keyboard is not my thing. I kept hitting the enter key after typing in the title and it kept posting.......ayeeeeeeeeeeee.

After five complete days of being on the vegan McDougall Diet Plan I am well. There is still edema in my legs, but it is slowly coming around. My mind is clearer and the overall soreness in my body has been lightened so I am pleased with my decision to go vegan.

I considered yesterday to be my official vegan diet startup. Mondays seem to be good startup days. I shaved my head and will keep it such until the scales read 250 lbs. Hell, I might as well make the decision right now to walk backwards until I reach 170, that makes sense too. Anyway, who loves you baby? Go Telly go!

Going to KoK meeting in an hour. Things are going well with sobriety. I'm considering taking on a year long commitment involving community outreach. I'll go to an informational meeting this Friday to find out the requirements and expectations.

Joy and I had a wonderful time visiting both families. Heather is doing quite well and she's happy with her life. Denise, Collin and Dylan are grooving and they're busy in Cheyenne building their life and having fun while doing it.

So this is what's happening. I'm getting my bicycle out of the shop today. Oceanside is a good place to live. Our HOA is a pain in the arse, but only a small pain for sure. We can live with it.

Starting Today June 1, 2009 322.8

"The one thing most needed to change a person's lifestyle and improve their health is: A COMMITTED DECISION TO REACH A PREDETERMINED SPECIFIC GOAL, COMBINED WITH BURNING DESIRE, FOLLOWED BY IMMEDIATE, MASSIVE ACTION REPEATED CONSISTENTLY FOR AS LONG AS IT TAKES UNTIL YOUR GOAL IS REACHED." (Tom Venuto)

My goal is to weigh 170 pounds

Pressing On May 26th 321.4

I Found Them! May 25th 322.0

I misplaced a couple of workout programs in the file system and by trial and error I just retrieved both. This is momentous! I've got one more program that is in a weird looking form so I have to contact the webmaster.

I created a new blog on Musecrafters.com just to see if I could do it. On a couple of boxes I didn't know what I entered, but typed something in and it worked. Megan, I'll be begging for help eventually. The purpose of a new blog is to exclusively record my workouts none/few or all on a daily basis (501 Day Countdown). I'm going to see how I feel by mid-October '09 and if I'm still in one piece then I'll enter the QualComm Million Dollar Challenge 2010. I'm open to any and all encouragement. June 3rd I'm going for a wellness evaluation at Kaiser-Permanente in San Marcos.

(Obstacles are seen only when the eyes are taken off the goal. I CAN DO IT!)

I went to KoK this morning and now working on some cups of coffee. I will do the house chores today! I just read Denise's and Collin's blog......I must work in the house now! Get to it now, WIMPY!

The kitchen floor was steamed and the living room and hallways vacuumed. Better late than never.