It is CHRISTMAS!!! Dangit!!!

*Twas the month before Christmas* *When all through our land,* *Not a Christian was praying* *Nor taking a stand.* *See the PC Police had taken away,* *The reason for Christmas - no one could say.* *The children were told by their schools not to sing,* *A bout Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.* *It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say* * December 25th is just a ' Holiday '.* *Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit* *Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!* *CDs from Madonna, an X BOX, an I-pod* *Something was changing, something quite odd! * *Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa* *In hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda.* *As Targets were hanging their trees upside down* * At Lowe's the word Christmas - was no where to be found.* *At K-Mart and Staples and Penny's and Sears* *You won't hear the word Christmas; it won't touch your ears.* *Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-si-ty* *Are words that were used to intimidate me.* *Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzen* *On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton !* *At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter* *To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.* *And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith* * Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace* *The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded* *The reason for the season, stopped before it started.* *So as you celebrate 'Winter Break' under your 'Dream Tree'* *Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.* *Choose your words carefully, choose what you say* *Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS, not Happy Holiday !*

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The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning Commentary.

My confession:
I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees, Christmas trees.. I don't feel threatened. I don't feel discriminated against. That's what they are: Christmas trees.

It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, 'Merry Christmas' to me. I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it It shows that we are all brothers and sisters
celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu . If people want a creche, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.

I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution and I don't like it being shoved down my throat.

Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship celebrities and we aren't allowed to worship God as we understand Him? I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too. But there are a lot of us who are wondering where these celebrities came from and where the America we knew went to.
In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke; it's not funny, it's intended to get you thinking.

Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her 'How could God let something like this happen?' (regarding Katrina) Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said, 'I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?'

In light of recent events... terrorists attack, school shootings, etc. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found a few years ago) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK. Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school. The Bible says thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK.

Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr Spock's son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he's talking about. And we said OK.

Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves. Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with 'WE REAP WHAT WE SOW.'

Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says. Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing. Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace.

Are you laughing yet?

Funny how when you forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because you're not sure what they believe, or what they will think of you for sending it.

Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us. Pass it on if you think it has merit. If not then just discard it... no one will know you did. But, if you discard this thought process, don't sit back and complain about what bad shape the world is in.

My Best Regards, Honestly and respectfully,
Ben Stein

To all of that, I say .... Thank YOU Ben Stein .... and Merry Christmas!!

Veteran's Day 2008

I know this one is long .... but it is worth the read ... and the end is ... well ... Taps ....

And this one is good also .....

And this one from Canada is Amazing .....

Go Andy!!!

Andy Rooney on CBS's "60 Minutes" sometimes drives me CRAZY .... but this time he hit the Nail on the Head .... I am actually amazed CBS let him say this ... but he is Right!!!

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Right on, Andy Rooney ! Andy Rooney said on '60 Minutes' a few weeks back:

'I don't think being a minority makes you a victim of anything except numbers. The only things I can think of that are truly discriminatory are things like the United Negro College Fund, Jet Magazine, Black Entertainment Television, and Miss Black America. Try to have things like the United Caucasian College Fund, Cloud Magazine, White Entertainment Television, or Miss White America; and see what happens...Jesse Jackson will be knocking down your door.

Guns do not make you a killer. I think killing makes you a killer. You can kill someone with a baseball bat or a car, but no one is trying to ban you from driving to the ball game.

I believe they are called the Boy Scouts for a reason, which is why there are no girls allowed. Girls belong in the Girl Scouts! ARE YOU LISTENING MARTHA BURKE?

I think that if you feel homosexuality is wrong, it is not a phobia, it is an opinion.

I have the right 'NOT' to be tolerant of others because they are different, weird, or tick me off.

When 70% of the people who get arrested are black, in cities where 70% of the population is black, that is not racial profiling; it is the Law of Probability.

I believe that if you are selling me a milkshake, a pack of cigarettes, a newspaper or a hotel room, you must do it in English! As a matter of fact, if you want to be an American citizen, you should have to speak English!
My father and grandfather didn't die in vain so you can leave the countries you were born in to come over and disrespect ours.

I think the police should have every right to shoot you if you threaten them after they tell you to stop. If you can't understand the word 'freeze' or 'stop' in English, see the above lines.

I don't think just because you were not born in this country, you are qualified for any special loan programs, government sponsored bank loans or tax breaks, etc., so you can open a hotel, coffee shop, trinket store, or any other business.

We did not go to the aid of certain foreign countries and risk our lives in wars to defend their freedoms, so that decades later they could come over here and tell us our constitution is a living document; and open to their interpretations.

I don't hate the rich I don't pity the poor.

I know pro-wrestling is fake, but so are movies and television. That doesn't stop you from watching them.

I think Bill Gates has every right to keep every penny he made and continue to make more. If it ticks you off, go and invent the next operating system that's better, and put your name on the building.

It doesn't take a whole village to raise a child right, but it does take a parent to stand up to the kid; and smack their little behinds when necessary, and say 'NO!'

I think tattoos and piercing are fine if you want them, but please don't pretend they are a political statement. And, please, stay home until that new lip ring heals. I don't want to look at your ugly infected mouth as you serve me French fries!

I am sick of 'Political Correctness.' I know a lot of black people, and not a single one of them was born in Africa; so how can they be 'African-Americans'? Besides, Africa is a continent. I don't go around saying I am a European-American because my great, great, great, great, great, great grandfather was from Europe. I am proud to be from America and nowhere else.

And if you don't like my point of view, tough...

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Amen Andy!! You Rock!!! ((At least for this broadcast, you do!!))

Obama Supporters Lost without Direction ....

Obama Win Causes Obsessive Supporters To Realize How Empty Their Lives Are

The Day After 11-04-08 ...

This deserves it's own post now .....

THE POST TURTLE

While suturing a cut on the hand of a 75 year old rancher, who's hand was caught in the gate while working cattle, the doctor struck up a conversation with the old man. Eventually, the topic got around to Obama and his bid to be our president.
The old rancher said, 'Well, ya know, Obama is a 'Post Turtle' '.
Not being familiar with the term, the doctor asked him what a 'post turtle' was.
The old rancher said, 'When your driving down a country road, and you come across a fence post with a turtle balanced on top, that's a 'post turtle' '.
The old rancher saw the puzzled look on the doctor's face, so he continued to explain, 'You know he didn't get up there by himself, he doesn't belong up there, and he doesn't know what to do while he's up there, and you just wonder what kind of dumbass put him up there to begin with'.

And Folks .... that is our next President of the United States of America.

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A Soldier's Message for Obama ...

One of my ex-students posted this in his comments to a post below .... I feel it deserves it's own Post!!

Watch until the end .... pretty amazing ....

Obama Flips Off McCain ....

You cannot tell me this was an accident!! He smirks before he does it!!!

Open Message to President George W. Bush

Hello President Bush!

I would simply like to take the time to thank you for your past 8 years of service to our country. They have been very rough years. You did a lot of things I didn't agree with. BUT .... you have kept us safe from further Terrorist Attacks on American Soil ... and I appreciate that very much.

You have shouldered immense responsibilities over your 2 terms. You have been blamed for everything from weather patterns to gas prices to forest fires to arctic melting to the economy (when it's bad). Whenever anything GOOD happens (have you seen gas prices lately) .... that must be someone else's fault.

True .... you are not the fiscal conservative I would like to see in office. True I have several bones to pick with you on your education policies and beliefs. True .... you are possibly too religiously right for my tastes! But overall I feel you have done a tough job and done it well. Thank You.



I know you will be moving back to Texas and I believe you will be living in Dallas when you finally get to leave office.

My husband and I cannot afford $1000 a plate dinners and such .... but we would love to have you and Laura over for BBQ any time! ((Laura is one of my heros.))

We enjoyed watching you enjoy the Olympics and we want to see you laugh and smile more.

Thank you once again for the job you have done.

Sincerely,

Lucinda Mackinnon
Lewisville, TX

MY Fears in this Election ....

Well ..... seems I keep stepping on people's toes and upsetting people when I bring up the Election .... so the best place for me to share my thoughts is RIGHT HERE on my very own BLOG .... where mostly only people who already don't like me visit!!

This election scares the HECK out of me in Many Ways!! One BIG way .... I think McCain will win ... but that ISN'T what scares me. What scares me about a McCain win is everyone's reaction to it! The media has basically already elected Obama! Everywhere you look!! Everything you listen to!!! Everything you read!!

SO .... what happens when the very silent majority speaks with their votes?? Well I predict cries of "Voter Fraud" and "Racism" to dominate the news for weeks to follow. I predict Riots .... although I hope I am very wrong about that.

First .... let me state LOUDLY and CLEARLY that my feelings about Barack Hussein Obama have NOTHING to do with his Color!! If Condoleezza Rice were running for President of the United States TODAY ... I would be voting for her. If Colin Powell had run for President back in 1996 or 2000 I would have voted for him in a HeartBeat. This is NOT about color!!!

He is a Democrat and I am Republican .... but it is more than that!! He is LIBERAL and I am Conservative .... but it is more than That! He is Socialist and I am Capitalist .... THAT is a BIG thing for me. Redistribution of wealth is Socialism and heading for Communism .... and that SCARES me. Obama is all about taking from the rich and giving to the poor. The really scary thing is .... who does he define as being RICH .... and what makes you think he won't come for YOU and YOUR money?

Okay ..... go ahead ..... call me a "fearmonger" .... but electing a man with a middle name of Hussein and with family ties to Islam just 7 years after the horrific attacks on America and Americans absolutely defies my belief! Add to that the fact that he picked a running mate with the name BIDEN . Everybody is shocked and appalled that I saw this pattern almost immediately after Obama announced his running mate ... but clearly other people saw it, too, because I didn't make this jpeg ...

... and follow that by Joe Biden saying that within 6 months of Obama's Election America will be attacked???

But NOOOOOO .... in this America today of Orwellian Newspeak .... we are not allowed to point out these things. We might insult someone of Islamic beliefs ... or hurt someone who loves communism ... or hurt the good feelings people have about Obama and his Mantra of CHANGE ....

Tom keeps saying that all people can says about Obama is "I Feel this .... and I Feel that .... " He makes people FEEL good.

It is also said that if you aren't Liberal when you are Young, you don't have a heart. And if you aren't Conservative when you are older, you don't have a BRAIN ..... and I can see the truth in that. Everybody is all "touchy feelly" about Obama ... but he wants to CUT OUR MILITARY to balance the budget. He wants to give to the poor and the old and the sick. He is the Grasshopper to the Ants .... Or he is at the very least, the Grasshopper's Hero!

Hear me and Hear me well .... Our nation's most important job is DEFENSE.

I have a friend who believes we are only as strong as our weakest person ... so we need to clothe and feed and nurse and house everyone. I DISAGREE!! I believe we are only as strong as our Standing Military. And if you listen to the above YouTube Video all the way through, you will see exactly why Obama scares me.

Don't get me wrong .... There are people who truly do need and deserve help ... and in my opinion, it is each individual's job to help their neighbor, their family, their friends, to the best of their ablility. It is NOT the Government's job! Government Aid creates people dependant on Government Aid! Contribute to the Charity of your choice. Volunteer in your community. Help People Help Themselves. But do NOT put the government in charge of these things. It is already WAY TOO INVOLVED in Enabling and creating a sense of Entitlement.

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This is the perfect place to post this ....

THE POST TURTLE

While suturing a cut on the hand of a 75 year old rancher, who's hand was caught in the gate while working cattle, the doctor struck up a conversation with the old man. Eventually, the topic got around to Obama and his bid to be our president.
The old rancher said, 'Well, ya know, Obama is a 'Post Turtle' '.
Not being familiar with the term, the doctor asked him what a 'post turtle' was.
The old rancher said, 'When your driving down a country road, and you come across a fence post with a turtle balanced on top, that's a 'post turtle' '.
The old rancher saw the puzzled look on the doctor's face, so he continued to explain, 'You know he didn't get up there by himself, he doesn't belong up there, and he doesn't know what to do while he's up there, and you just wonder what kind of dumbass put him up there to begin with'.


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So .... one of my online friends was asking for advice on how to deal with an alcoholic family member who expected my friend to take care of her .... give her money ... give her things .... bale her out when she got in trouble.

Don't we all have someone in our family who is like that? Or maybe YOU are like that? If YOU are like that, you won't understand much of what I have said here.

So anyway ... my friend was wondering if she was selfish in not wanting to always have to bale her family member out. My friend is not rich ... but she does work hard and she is dependable. Is she selfish for not wanting to give and give and give and turn around and still have to give again .... ?

Every single one of the women who responded to her said "NO ... you are NOT selfish." They mentioned "enabling" .... they mentioned never being able to make that kind of person happy .... they mentioned taking care of herself and her immediate family FIRST.

YET .... every single one of the women who made these comments to my friend are voting for OBAMA! ((Or would vote so if they lived in America ... I have some Canadian Friends.)) How can they not see the parallels in this simple real life situation and what Obama proposes to do? Every one of them gave a very CONSERVATIVE response to a personal situation.

So THINK!! Do you want someone who will take YOUR money and shell it out to people who will never be happy but always want more?? Redistribute the Wealth! Is that so we can all be equally Wealthy or equally Poor? Trust me .... those who want to take from the rich will not be happy until ALL the rich are dead ... and they have everything ... and even then, they will still want more.

A Compliment for WNR ....

Hi WNR ....

I know you check here on a regular basis, so I thought I would share this with you here.

I was at La's house last evening and I was drawn to a picture on her wall of a woman's hands. It was a black and white picture and very beautiful. La told me that it was one of your photos. I was amazed. I just want to compliment you on the beauty of that photo.

La mentioned it was part of a series of photos you took in a study you did. I can only imagine the other photos in that series. If they are even half the quality of this photo, it must have been a wonderful series.

My Fave Flairs .....

To Whom it May Concern ...

I'll let it go .... When YOU GO AWAY!!!

Week 11/12

Lori's Visit to Texas May 2008

Kate Wins Gold in Nationals!

Robbie's Prom 2008

Cat meets Rat ....

Here are some pictures I took last week of our cat Weasley and a rat who climbed a tree in our front yard. The 2nd picture is amazing!! I cannot believe I actually got that shot! In fact .... I probably need to post all 3 of these photos together and maybe even the little video I got!

Truth is .... I saw the rat climbing the tree and I got our cat Weasley and put him on the tree, too ... and he took off after the rat. The last picture is Weasley backing down. He ended up leaving the tree and I had to get to the gym. When I left, the rat was still out on the branch. When I returned neither cat nor rat were around. We have yet to find rat parts for this particular rat ... notice the tip of his tail is missing .... no tail-tipless-back-halves of rats have shown up.

Whew .... Finally Recovering!

WOW .... I had a nasty cold!! I haven't been sick like that in 12 years .... It didn't actually take me DOWN down .... but it sure lingered. I still have a little cough left ... but plan to go back to full workouts tomorrow. Yay!! I have really missed it! It is just so hard to swim when you have to cough all the time!

I am also going to add some StairMaster to my workouts .... starting very slowly. They have 4 machines at the gym. I just notice that I find stairs get my heart racing .... we climbed a lot of stairs during the UNT tour with Robbie and I got out of breath way too easily. They say swimming is supposed to be a great Cardio work-out ... but I am not feeling it! I guess I need to really seriously use my heart-rate monitor and push myself more than I am. Play faster music and swim with the beat!!

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Tom and I had a nice evening with La and Allen last night. Champagne and beers and cheese and crackers and fruits and dark chocolate .... yummy! Hot Tub and conversation and laughter. La is such a sweet person and Allen has really begun to open up around us ... he is so shy! I am looking forward to him getting the boat out again and going out on the lake. La's life has kind of opened up now that her tailbone doesn't hurt her as much. I think she actually is looking younger, too! Pain is so wearing and so debilitating. I know she had to feel like a new person without the constant pain!

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Spending time online with The Accountables is going well. Some very nice people on the boards. There are still issues there .... but I think the truth is beginning to emerge. I went into FP to drop a note to Sweeney on her B-Day .... and also posted a note to Catmadam about her inch loss and her weightloss .... so in response, Accountables got a "visit" from WF and Catmadam. I once again posted a nice note to Cat .... no response. ((Edit: Catmadam DID respond by starting a new thread in FP which basically took my post to her as an insult. So ... for you Catmadam fans ... Cat absolutely did NOT forbid me to talk to her. Admin_John suggested I not talk to her. However ... I hoped that giving her a sincere compliment would be okay ... I guess I shouldn't have prefaced it as I did. I apologize profusely to Catmadam and her fans. I sincerely only meant to compliment.)) Sweeney didn't even stop by on her B-Day ... but still, I thought of her!

I do have a couple of new people reading .... one from Carol Stream, Illinois ... and one from Washington DC ..... I know who they are .... but wonder why they care. Q-Ball is still reading but now shows up as being from Holt, Michigan. I have absolutely ZERO idea why SHE cares .... I am pretty sure she hates me ... although I have no idea why.

Ms Owings Mills, Maryland ... whom I believe to be MsWillow ... has learned how to hide her path from the SiteMeter .... and someone else has learned how to hide behind AOL. Why am I so important to these people?

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Tom and I are half-on-half-off SBD .... but we are both doing great with going to the gym and maintaining weightloss .... I think exercise and the routine of going and doing is probably the overall best thing we are doing!! I am FEELING so much better ... it may be the Iron Pills? Fish Oil? Vitamins?? Exercise?? All of the above?? Whatever it is ... it works for me.

Fresh Start ....

Well ... my goodness this BLOG attracted a lot of attention lately!!

Due to a couple of kind emails from people who will remain un-named, unless they wish to be named, I have basically hidden most of the posts which have to do with my dealings with The South Beach Diet Online and the Message Boards there. The posts still exist, they are just not available for public view at the moment.

Kind words and kind treatment of me and my friends will always get Kindness in return from me. And all I ever wanted was a safe place for me and my friends to play and feel welcome. Kindness will hopefully lead to more kindness will hopefully lead to more kindness ...

You will find a few other things changed on here, too .... but hopefully they won't be an issue to any of my readers.

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March 28, 2008

Fresh Start has been canceled. Once again the TROLLS have been messing with me and mine in SBDO. So the truth is once again here for all to read. Lots of trolling activity on the site meter. Most are using software to hide themselves. To me, that sings of guilt ... but ... whatever.

Issues with Gravity ...

Yep .... that's what it is .... Issues with Gravity. THAT is why I weigh so much! The Earth is pulling me more than it should. And that is why I enjoy water so much ... I am weightless in it! I float really really well! I swim pretty well. I wish I could stay underwater and swim, but my butt floats to the top before everything else ... sigh.

I love listening to my iPod while walking and swimming and I can kick it into gear while swimming when a good song comes on .... but when I am walking and a good song comes on, and I WANT to kick it into gear, I just can't. Some of my music makes me want to do fancy dance steps and jigs and skips and I just can't do it! I feel glued to the Earth. And I don't like that feeling. I need to try to break that grip. Maybe try to jog a little? Maybe skip a little? Maybe jump rope?

I am jealous of Caterry's post about running on air .... I can't imagine. But she is a runner ... so she is going for the "runner's high". And she can run. Sheesh ... I can't imagine running ... but maybe I should try ... a little at a time .... a quick-step ...?

My iPod ....

I thought I might share some of the music that I enjoy swimming and walking to! I do have a waterproof iPod Shuffle which my dear hubby got me for Christmas from http://www.swimman.com . It is a real iPod Shuffle ... 1gig ... which has been waterproofed for swimming. It comes with a special pair of headphones, along with the regular headphones ... and it really does work in the water!

So .... my playlist varies .... and iTunes makes it so easy to change things up! But I have noticed certain songs which really make me smile and swim or walk faster ...

Swing the Mood ... by Jive Bunny and the Master Mixers
In the Mood ... by Glenn Miller
Kokomo ... by the Beach Boys
Sweet Emotion ... by AeroSmith
Smooth, Maria Maria, Oye Como Va, and several others .... Sanatana
Jesus is Just Alright .... Doobie Brothers
Several Celtic tunes by various artists ...

The waterproof headphones don't even bother me at all anymore .... and I stopped using the neosporin which was kind of messy .... I need to get a picture of my goggle/headphone/iPod rig to post here .... I'll do that soon. But it works really well. I love being alone in the water with my music ... weightless ... it is great! I could probably swim more than I am already .... and will probably up my minutes or start doing it more than 3 times a week ...

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Here are the Lyrics to "CALEDONIA" by Dougie MacClean:

I don't know if you can see
The changes that have come over me
In these last few days I've been afraid
That I might drift away
So I've been telling old stories, singing songs
That make me think about where I came from
And that's the reason why I seem
So far away today

Oh, but let me tell you that I love you
That I think about you all the time
Caledonia you're calling me
And now I'm going home
If I should become a stranger
You know that it would make me more than sad
Caledonia's been everything
I've ever had ...

Now I have moved and I've kept on moving
Proved the points that I needed proving
Lost the friends that I needed losing
Found others on the way
I have kissed the ladies and left them crying
Stolen dreams, yes there's no denying
I have traveled hard with coattails flying
Somewhere in the wind

(Chorus)

Now I'm sitting here before the fire
The empty room, the forest choir
The flames that could not get any higher
They've withered now they've gone
But I'm steady thinking my way is clear
And I know what I will do tomorrow
When the hands are shaken and the kisses flow
Then I will disappear ...

WOW .... the lyrics were even more apt then I knew at the time! I am enjoying my time with the Accountables ... people can find me there if they want to. I've noticed increased activity viewing this BLOG ... but then, they never did really stop checking on me, did they? Now they are ramping it up to daily visits instead of just occasional hits.

Okay .... gotta go update my Journal ...

1000 Hits!

According to my Site Meter, I have over 1000 hits to this BLOG now ... that should help my AD income somewhat. Thanks Owing Mills for hitting several times yesterday ... you are helping to line my pockets ...

So ... When the Anonymous Commentor struck again ... I decided NOT to leave SBDO. I chatted with the Accountables yesterday and one of them suggested that I try signing in using my Cincin21 account. Now I had tried that a few months ago and it didn't work at all .... but I took her advice and it let me in!! All I had to do was update my CC#. So I have my original profile and Siggy and everything now! Also .... I got my $6.95/mo payment back. So I called to cancel the Caledonia42 account and they were So NICE! They credited the $20 deposit to my old account and that bought me 10 weeks of service ... I did not expect them to do that!

So now I am getting to know the Accountables ... they all seem very nice. I plan to steer clear of Fool's Paradise. I may go in to answer posts directed to me .... but then scoot right out again. And my iVillage buddies are still here, too .... so it is all good! It is going to be a healing process being in SBDO again.

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Down 12 lbs as of this morning .... a new low for this work-out/diet period. Yay me!! I am feeling much more alive lately and it could be due to a number of things. I made a lot of changes all at the same time ....

• Working Out
• Dieting
• Taking Slow FE and Vitamin C
• Taking Omega-3 Fish Oil and a Multi-Vitamin
• Using the Body Wraps .... the inch loss is still holding
• Using the KINOKI detox-pads
• And taking that Diet Pill

I don't know which thing is making the most difference or if it is a combination of all these things. I haven't commented much on the Diet Pill because I haven't really noticed a reduction in Hunger yet .... maybe a little .... if I do begin to notice something, I'll let you know!

OMG!!!!

Okay .... I woke up this morning and measured my thighs .... twice to be sure .... they were both down ONE FULL INCH .... OMG !!!

I forgot to measure my hips .... BRB ..... still down 1/2 inch .... even after breakfast and coffee ...

I am actually pretty amazed!

Maybe these wraps really do work!

I am going to keep using them on Fridays ... that is when I have time ... and I will keep you posted!

I am also going to keep working out and walking and swimming ... but WOW!!

Tried Wraps Again ...

Okay ... so today is Friday .... which is one of my favoritest days of all!! I worked out with Brandon ((Arms day)) and then swam for 30 solid mintes. Felt great!! The spa isn't working (grrrrrr) .... so I decided to try my wrap-things again. This time I applied the "mud" directly to my thighs and my stomach and hips ... and then I got a pair of tight bike shorts wet with hot water and put them on .... I figured it should work the same as the stretch bandages .... then I wrapped a towel around my hips and thighs and went and sat in the sauna for 30 minutes. Thirty minutes is about all I can take in there. I drank 1.5 big bottles of water while in there! Then I put on my fleece pants ... over the shorts ... and came home and sat bundled up in a warm blanket for another hour or so ...

When I finally took my shorts off ... my thighs and stomach were still really warm .... which is good .... all the "mud" was gone ... who knows where? And when I measured, my thighs hadn't changed, but my stomach/hips went down 1/4 inch. I will measure again tomorrow and report in ... especially after BJ's tonight!! yay!!!

Still doing the KINOKI foot pads ... still coming off all nasty colored ... but this morning's one did seem a little lighter .... we shall see ....

Measurements ....

My Birthday and the Super Bowl Party were a wonderful success! We had a great turn-out ... wonderfully warm weather ... lots of good food ... the football game was really good ... and I got some great pressies!! I got wind chimes ... and a pretty wine glass with sparkles on it ... and wine w/wine charms ... and flowers .... and a bubble machine .... and some pretty geode bookends ... and a candle .... and a Massage Gift Card (from Robbie) and a pair of pretty earrings from Tom (gold and silver John Hardy). My sister called from Australia, too. I also got lots of great birthday cards ... some were really funny!! And an Amazon Gift Card!



We had a great mix of people .... several new friends came, along with the regulars .... even my trainer, Brandon, and his fiance ... and they seemed to enjoy themselves. Brandon and Anna won two Quarters of the Squares game ... and Caroline and Jarrod won the other two Quarters! Both couples are pretty deserving .... works for me!!



Food was good .... drink was plenty ... laughter and conversation ... good times! Oh ... and the Giants beat the Patriots to destroy their perfect season. I didn't get to see much of the game ... and only a couple of the commercials ... but I had fun!



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So today I got Brandon to do my measurements .... so ... with 5 months of training under my belt ...

• Neck -1.25"


• Chest +2.25"


• Shoulders +2"


• Waist -2"


• Hips -3.25"


• R Bicep -1.5"


• L Bicep -.75"


• R Thigh -.5"


• L Thigh -2"


• R Calf -1"


• L Calf -1.5"

Gotta love that gain in my shoulders and chest, huh?? Must be all the swimming ...

And I know the losses in some cases seem disproportionate ... but my left thigh was was bigger than my right thigh back in September ... now they are equal .... ditto for my biceps and calves (calfs?). Brandon was quite proud of the results ... I am glad I got him to measure me and put him in charge of my numbers. We forgot to do the Body Fat % measurement ... will need to do that soon.

Okaaaayyyy ....

Down 3 inches this morning even though I didn't use the wrap today .... how odd ... only in that spot! Must try it elsewhere now ...

Tom says I am snoring very oddly since I have been wearing the KINOKI foot pads at night .... in a way he has never heard before .... still icky brown in the morning ... and it smells like a mixture my mom had back when I was a child .... a pot of stuff she would put on splinters to draw them out .... she called it "neumatizen" .... but I ran searches for that today and came up empty. LOL ... now I will probably run a search and come up with this BLOG. I wonder if it is a German word .... my Mom's mom was old world German. And it was in a little pot like it had been a family remedy .... hmmmmm ....

Anyway .... Tom and I have been very bad today .... Sonic for breakfast and Mexican Food for dinner tonight .... Birthday and Super Bowl weekend .... oh well!! Oh Yee of weak willpower .... leave thy diets behind!! Thou art forewarned before thy enters here!!! I think I will post that on our door tomorrow!! LOL!!

Oh .... new kitty videos .... enjoy .... http://video.yahoo.com/video/profile?sid=74385

Product Update ...

Still down 2.5 inches with the body wrap .... did like I said I would today and stayed at 2.5 inches down .... maybe try thighs or upper arms next?? I'll keep you posted! LOL ...

Tried the KINOKI foot pad on my left foot last night ... and this morning it was ugly brown again ... just like the pad on the right foot was. It could be caused by sweat interacting with the herbal sachet ... the telling fact would be if they eventually do get lighter and lighter in color.

Had a good workout today ... Brandon is being very serious about upping the weights and reps and all that. Haven't measured .... probably should have done that today because this weekend is going to be Par-Tay time!! Super Bowl and my Birthday ... on the same day!! And Mardi Gras is Tuesday .... so might as well enjoy!!

Happy February ....

Testing Stuff .....

Well .... all my products have arrived so now I am in Testing Mode ...

The first product I am trying is/are the Diet Pills called Nuphedrine ..... hmmmmm ..... they make me feel a little weird in the head ... also a little "wired" .... I am supposed to take one in the morning and one at lunch ... so I will try that for a few weeks and see if there is any difference in my hunger and weight loss and energy and all of that. I'll keep you posted ...

I stepped on the scale yesterday and was down 10 lbs from September 2007 when I first started working out again. That is the lowest it has been. Tom is down almost 30 lbs since January 7th 2008 .... which make me very happy for him!! ((But pissy for me, ya know??)) Then this morning I stepped on the scale and I was back up 5 lbs .... SNORT!! Tom says the scale is picky about where you stand on it ... so I will test that theory in a few minutes.

The 2nd product I tried/am trying out are the KINOKI Detox Foot Pads which we saw on a commercial. I have been reading pros and cons about the product, so decided to try for myself. I used one last night on my right foot .... and sure enough .... the pad was dark brown and nasty this morning. I'll continue to try them nightly, alternating feet .... and keep you posted. Allegedly, the pad is supposed to look lighter and lighter each morning until it doesn't change color much at all ... we shall see.

I think these might be the same type of patches that Sweeney was always raving about ... I'll have to ask her.

The 3rd product .... which I am going to try this morning in a few minutes is the Body Wrap inch reducing/detox system! I'll keep you posted on that ... it looks like it is going to be messy ... we'll see. I am going to try it out on one of my biggest problem areas .... the fat rolls between my boobs and my waist. I have had these rolls since I was a child ... even at my slimmest, they are there ... so let's see what happens!

Update .... okay ... that wasn't too bad .... the kit comes with two ace bandages and 12 packets of clay. The directions are to boil 1 pint of water and add one packet of clay to the boiled water ... then soak the bandages in the clay/water. Wrap the warm, wet bandages around the area to be treated ... cover with a towel or saran wrap with punctures in it ... area must stay warm ... for one hour.

Okay .... so I wrapped the bandages around my middle ... then placed my swimming suit over that, then wrapped a large towel around that ... then put on a fleece sweatshirt and now I am wrapped in my warmest blanket and waiting for an hour. The area does not feel warm ... it is wet and chilly ... and the clay didn't mix well with the water ... so I don't feel like the bandages got equal amounts of clay dispersed evenly ...

I am trying to think of a way to do this all at LAFitness and use the sauna to stay warm in ... the nice thing is that there are 12 packets of clay ... so I can use this several times ... I like that.

1.5 hours later .... okay .... even thought the area felt cold, when I took the bandages off, it was warm .... and when I measured it was 2.5 inches smaller ... no kidding. I find this very interesting. I will measure again tomorrow and see if it is still 2.5 inches smaller. THEN ... here is my plan ... I am going to take a packet of clay and the bandages to LAFitness tomorrow ... and the tape measure ... after I lift weights and swim for 40 minutes, I am going to warm the bandages in a very hot shower ... measure the area ... apply the clay directly to the area I want treated ... (same area) wrap the bandages, cover with swimming suit ... wrap a towel ... and go sit in the sauna for 30 minutes ... or as long as I can handle it! Drinking water the whole time .... then I am going to bundle up and come home ... and take off the bandages and see what happens ... I'll keep you posted ... LOL !

What the heck!! I might as well experiment some! Live ... Love .... LAUGH!!

The Ads ....

Okay .... I have recently signed up for AdSense with Google. Hopefully to make a little $$ on the side. Funny thing, though! I am not supposed to click on the ads on my blogs ... but some of the things they advertise make me want to click and read!!! Of course, they are linked to my content, so they are therefore of interest to me because I am the one creating the content. I get paid per 1000 impressions or for Click-throughs ... but I am not supposed to encourage friends to click on the ads .... unless, of course, you actually see something you are interested in!

I wish I had been doing this for the several years I have been doing the Question of the Day ... it isn't a lot of money ... but it kinda seems like free money ....

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I'm now taking Slow-FE ... a multi-vitamin .... Vitamin C Drink .... Fish Oil .... etc .... I wonder how long it will take to notice a difference in my energy level, if there is going to be one. Maybe I shoulod read up on SlowFE ... think I'll do that!

Weathermen are calling for freezing rain and sleet tonight .... we shall see ... we haven't had any winter weather like that yet this year .... just cold ... which I like!

Low Iron ....

FINALLY .... my Dr took blood for a specific Iron test last Thursday ... I got the results today .... No Big Surprise .... I have Low Iron!! Ha ... Bloodcare has been telling me that for months and months ... so now I have been prescribed Slow-FE along with Vitamin C ... once a day. I started today ...

Hmmmm ..... maybe I will stop being so tired all the time, soon ... and maybe I will be able to give blood again, soon .... who knows??

So .... taking a multi-vitamin ... taking Omega-3 Fish Oil ... taking Iron and Vitamin C .... and all my other meds ... hopefully something will kick in and give me some energy!

I walked today ... it was 33 degrees and my nose and hands got cold ... but all went well .... swimming in warm water works better, LOL. I also added AdSense to my BLOGS ... so have fun clicking on all the ads, okay??

Sounds like the South Beach Diet finally got an Admin with some balls .... and a brain! About time!! Hopefully the Mean Girl Rule is about to end.

Tom and Gary are talking about meeting in Amsterdam!! Maybe in March?? Yay!! That sounds so fun! More reason to get in shape!! And to make more $$!!

Moods ...

Oh Wow .... I was in a really bad mood last week. REALLY BAD. And most of it had to do with being on Phase One of the South Beach Diet. I HATE Phase One. But I have to be on it, because if I don't stay on it, Tom won't stay on it. And it is the only Phase of SBD which we lose weight from. Tom has lost 17 lbs in two weeks ... and up until Friday, I hadn't lost any ... but on Friday I saw a # on the scale which I haven't seen in a couple of years .... which equates to a 9 lb weight loss since September .... 3 of those on this latest attempt at SBD.

Why is it that I might not want wine for weeks on end .... but tell me I CAN'T have wine ... and suddenly I want it every night??? Bread, too. And rice.

And going to the Doctor depressed me. He didn't fuss at me about my weight ... I did that myself. I wanted to talk with him about getting off depression meds to try to help me lose weight. He said he wished he could tell me that would work ... but it has been his experience that the weight-gain from depression meds ... which is unexplained medically, BTW, does not reverse itself when one goes off the meds.

So .... I'd rather be Fat and Happy than Fat and Sad ... but the Dr thought I should add one more word .... Healthy .... and he thinks I am on the right track by working out 6 days a week and eating better. It was silly .... I was the one sitting there crying ... and he was the one trying to cheer me on ... telling me I was doing everything right. Sheesh .... I was in a bad mood!

The bad mood continued into Friday .... I canceled my workout with Brandon, partially because the pool was closed ... but also because I was just being pissy. I went and got my nails done and they took extra nice care of me .... didn't get to nap because Robbie and Olivia were here ... but we got to BJ's and everyone was there ... and having a few Reds always helps ... that pretty much broke my bad mood ...

Also found out that Robb and Di had tried Alli Diet Pills and felt they really helped Robb. So I spent yesterday researching Diet meds online and I found this site .... Get the Skinny on Diets .... so read about Alli and decided not to deal with Anal-Leakage .... read about a few others ... sounds too good to be true ... but decided to try anyway ... Nuphedrine ... and also Body Wrap ... I expedited shipping ... so hopefully I'll be able to report my results soon. I'll keep you posted on this!!

New iPod ...

The new iPod is working out GREAT!! It really helps with the walks I am taking on Tues, Thurs, and Sat/Sun. I seem to be able to walk faster and longer with music beating into my head ... and I guess that is good!! It also is working out really well for swimming! I have to put Neosporin on the ear-buds to try to keep them positioned correctly in my ears ... and it is working pretty well. It helps keep the water out of my ears some, too. I love swimming to the music ... it makes the time go much faster, and makes me go faster and swim longer and better, too.

My Trainer, Brandon, has gotten pretty serious about my workouts. I made him measure me and take all my numbers so he could see how we are doing .... and he wasn't very pleased with the progress. I'm glad we did that because he is the one telling me what to do ... and he needs to take part ownership in my succeeding! So now he is changing up machines on me .... and using higher weights, fewer reps, more sets, etc .... I am hurting!! LOL .... but I asked for it!

So .... I am working with Brandon 3 times a week and swimming at least 40 minutes after those workouts ... then I am walking at least 40 minutes on the other days .... and I am on Phaze Won of the SBD ... and I have gained 2 lbs. It sucks!! But Tom is doing well ... so I guess I will keep after it. As always while on Phaze Won, I am bound up inside ... and I am even doing a cleanse system which is FULL of fiber and stuff ... but nothing is moving. I think I'll drink a few Red's tonight ... that should help ... it usually does!

Tutoring is busy right now .... Exams are next Wednesday and Thursday .... so I will be very busy next week through Wednesday night ... then everyone's schedule changes and I will have a couple of slow weeks until the new Math students start having trouble. The nature of the beast.

Our New Kitten ...

This is video of our new kitten named LG playing with our Dog, Lexi. The kitten has a really fiesty personality and Lexi is very patient with him. They play like this all the time ... the kitten seems fearless as he dives into the "jaws of death" ... purring the whole time ...

Day 3 ...

Jan. 3 and so far, so good! I walked 35 minutes on Tuesday ... the iPod really helps! Then yesterday I finally got to try it out in the pool. It Worked!! I may need to get a swimming cap to keep the earbuds positioned properly for the best sound. The sound kind of went in and out as the earbuds moved or as water got in my ears. I tried putting Neosporin on the earbuds, as they recommended, but didn't see much difference. I did however notice that it was MUCH more fun to swim with music!! I kept stopping to adjust the headphones and mess with my "rig" but while I was swimming it went very smoothly! Actually, even when I can't hear the music very well, I still know what song is playing and can follow it in my head .... and it is better than no music at all.

I'll try again tomorrow and if I can't get them to sound consistant, I'll go get a swimming cap ...

Today I got two resolutions in one swoop! I walked a DVD package to the UPS store which is exactly 1 mile away .... and it was 37 degrees outside. That was a good walk ... and I shipped one of my DVD's off! Yay!

Tom and I are going on "Faze One" on Monday .... so I want to eat stuff now that I won't be able to have then .... CARBS!!! Comfort Food!! Hmmmm ..... may make potato soup tonight .... in fact, I think I will do that right now!! Yummy!!

School went back into session today and I have one whole hour of tutoring tonight, I think .... if he remembers. I sure have enjoyed having this time off ... but it is rough with no income. Back to it on Monday, though.

2008 Resolutions

Here for the world to see .... and it seems I do mean The World!! I am getting hits from all over the world .... Blogspot must be doing something different as my SiteMeter is showing lots more hits from lots more places.

Here are my New Year's Resolutions ...

• Lose Weight ... let's set a goal of 50 lbs.
• Exercise some EVERY day
• Laugh more
• Sell more DVD's
• Grow my nails out
• Expand my business somehow
• Keep a Journal (ordered a 10-year Journal)
• Laugh even more
• Be positive and emit positive energy
• Be in Australia for Christmas 2008

So .... starting today .... gonna work on all of that! It's a lovely day for a walk! And here is a link to Reader's Digest's New Year's Guide to a Better You! I love Reader's Digest.

Here's wishing all who read this a very blessed and Happy New Year 2008!

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On another note .... I know some people who have had a horrible 2007!

For my friend Gilly .... I wish you and your family HEALTH! May Linzi's difficulties become a mere memory .... May Kelli's melanoma respond to treatment and also become just a memory ... and may your dear brother's diagnosis have been totally off-base.

For our dear friend Gary ... you survived a house fire (but most of your stuff didn't), a car break-in, a hurricane while on holiday, and a broken rib!! May 2008 treat you with much more kindness!

I'm sure there are others, but I can't think of them right now .... if YOU have had a bad year ... may 2008 be a kinder, gentler year for you!