It’s Monday and the long, dreary weekend is over! I know, that probably sounds a little funny, but a blog gets neglected on the weekend, I’ve noticed. The writers don’t want to spend too much time on it (I certainly don’t) because it’s the weekend! Time to get out and do things! Readers don’t have much time to read, for the same reasons. So, the workweek is when a blog thrives… at least, that’s my experience.

 

My weekend was fairly eventful. Saturday took a lot of work, for me. I started with my stretch/warmup, 30 minute workout, and a cooldown outside. Shortly after that, I had to go down to the local dump, where I noticed that over by the area where we’re supposed to dump our living waste (tree limbs and the like) someone had dumped all their future compost in the area where you’re supposed to park, instead of properly disposing of the waste (by carrying it or throwing it to big pile of plants, dirt, tree limbs, etc…).

I’ve been keeping my eye out for opportunities to add exercise into my day, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity – get some exercise, and do good for others while I’m at it. Who could ask for a better opportunity? So I got to work on that, and was quickly helped by another that was dumping off some of his vegetative waste. We got to talking and had a great conversation while we cleared the branches from the parking area and threw them up on top of the pile, where they’re supposed to go.

I’d stopped on my way in to the dump at a less used area to do some quick stretches before getting started. That area was LOADED with TVs, stereos, cable boxes, DVD players, etc… I kept thinking that the local thrift shops would LOVE to show up and go through these. So, on my way out, I talked to the guy that runs the on site operations and asked his permission to have some thrift shop people come out. What he told me was a little bit of a shock – apparently, trash is only allowed to come in to the dump, not go out. I asked him if this was a state rule or a local one. Of course it turns out to be local. Apparently the township and/or the person in charge of our dump (his boss) don’t want to risk the chance that someone might make a buck or two off of anything that’s brought in. Profit or Non-Profit. So, I’ll be writing our local paper’s “Ben Column” (the first step to getting anything done around here) about the matter, to see if our township would like to change its mind about donations. And if they don’t – time to address the council in person.

Saturday evening, the young lady that we helped move into our home last week got a new bed for her room. That had to be brought in, so I got some exercise out of that too. Of course, when Sunday morning came around, I really felt like taking it easy, so I did my stretch/warmup and very little else.
I had posted what I thought was a pretty obvious joke on Saturday, with the purposes of using it to illustrate many of the crap diets out there, which list some fad diets among their ranks. Fad diet or not, they all end up smelling pretty rank. If you go back and read it, I hope you get a laugh out of it. I also hope you read Sunday’s article, which takes it apart and shows you what you look for whenever you see such a diet.

I had something of a masterpiece, something that could possibly have been this site’s mission statement ready to post for Friday, but it was lost. So, I had to start all over again and have had something of a busy weekend. You’ll be seeing that post within the next day or so, hopefully.

 

Another piece of news is that on Sunday I visited an old friend of mine, one whom I know is obese and is unhappy with it. I spent the afternoon, yesterday, with her and her family, talking about her weight and health issues, among many other things (we both have ADD). I offered to show her what I’ve done that is giving me the most success in losing weight, feeling better, making myself happy, and making myself believe that I can get down to a normal, healthy weight.

She had expressed a concern about “big bones”, that perhaps when she gets down to her normal BMI, her bones might make her body look awkward. I wish I knew enough to settle her worries with confidence. Instead, I could only tell her what I know, what I think, and what I believe.

I KNOW that the human body is designed to adapt and repair – adapt to the conditions we put it through and repair the damage that we do to it. Bones mend on their own, as a new acquaintance of mine has pointed out, Doctors just put a cast on them and set them so the bones will repair themselves properly.

The same acquaintance is a scientist who studies and experiments with Spinal Cord Injury. He is convinced that the spinal cord is capable of repairing itself as well, we just need to learn how to help it, how to facilitate its work.

So, that’s great and all, but WHAT’S THE POINT? If our bones can fuse themselves back together after we’ve broken them, if our spinal cord can perform similarly, and if our bones can grow to better support an obese (or in my case, super obese) body, then I THINK… perhaps they’re capable of shrinking once we’ve gone back to a healthy weight. It probably won’t happen right away, but I BELIEVE that if you give them time, maybe a year, maybe two, they will adapt and you won’t look awful. And if I’m wrong, and it makes that much of a difference to you, you can always adjust your weight so that you appear normal, just so long as you’re healthy!

 

TODAY’S WORKOUT

 

After my warmup, I did 25 minutes followed by a short cooldown inside. My workout was interrupted by a jealous dog (Snickerdoodle the Great) who chose to take a dump in my path (causing me to have to stop my workout to clean it up – I decided I’d already done about twenty-five minutes, I’d just do a few more laps around the inside and call it quits), apparently hoping I would think it was the puppy (who had been in my sight too long to have been the culprit). Snick is an older dog and almost never does this, so my first instinct was to look at the puppy, but as I looked at it, I realized two things – First, the puppy was just looking at it, not cowering or anything. Usually, when she did it, she knows she did wrong. Secondly, this was my third lap in the house! I’d just walked by this spot twice and it had been shit free! And since she’d been with me the entire three laps, it couldn’t have been her.

 

Then, when I called Snicker, she was a no-show. So… this exercise thing seems to really be causing more conflict between Snickerdoodle the Great, and our mascot, Buddha the Puppy. I’ve tried exercising with Snick, but she really isn’t interested that much. She gets bored watching me work and goes away. But if she finds out I’ve got that puppy watching me, stretching as I stretch, moving back and forth with me, and around the house, she gets terribly mad.

 

The other day, I called Snick down for my workout, because it was her day to go outside with me when I’m done. I got done the workout and called Snick, but she was either napping or just couldn’t be bothered, but there was the puppy, so I snuck her collar and leash on and quietly took her outside. We walked around the big vegetable patch and when we turned the corner to come back to the house, there was Snickerdoodle (she knows how to open the door to let herself out, if it’s unlocked, but not to get in), at the end of the row, with fire in her eyes. She seemed to be saying “You CHEATED!!!” It was just the funniest thing I’ve seen all week, and as soon I started laughing, she came running with her tail wagging. At least there’s that.

 

Here’s today’s workout lineup

 

What’s the Frequency, Kenneth? – REM

Only the Good Die Young – Billy Joel

Bad, Bad Leroy Brown – Jim Croce

One of these Days – Jill Sobule

Random – Lady Sovereign

Losing my Religion – REM

Heroes – Jill Sobule

One Angry Dwarf and 200 Solemn Faces – Ben Folds Five

Wild Thing – Tone Loc

Dammit Janet – Rocky Horror soundtrack

Shut Up and Dance – Aerosmith

Laid – James

Bohemian Rhapsody – Queen

Feels So Good – Chuck Mangione

 

TODAY’S SPECIAL

 

The first special comes from The Better Man Project. It’s a nice inspirational piece. Especially if you turn on the music at the top (“Meet Joe Black” Theme) to listen to while you read.

 

I mentioned a blog post written by NeuroVantage up above. I think it’s a great read and can give a little more background on what I wrote above.

 

NaturalKnowledge247 put up a great post a few days ago about weight-gain/loss and aging, along with some foods that can help slow down Father Time’s process. Enjoy!

 

SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL

 

Some of you may have noticed that I more or less use a default blog for this section, because there’s always a new gorgeous photo there every day. However, some photos aren’t quite as bright and sunny as others. Some of their photos are still beautiful, but dark and somber. I like them, but I want to give you something that will inspire you to get up and go do something!

 

Today, the “Something Beautiful” that I bring you is from Adele Haberland, someone I went to High School with, who has always had great artistic talent, in many fields. On her site, her photos are divided into categories. I’m sending you to the “Nature” section, but there are others, and there is some breathtaking shots in each collection.

 

 

That’s about all for today, stay tuned, because I really believe this blog will turn into something great.

 

Illegitimi non carborundum