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March 8
The birds outside are now in time with the birds in the alarm clock
Six o’clock
They sound much the same
The mornings are getting lighter
Easier to get up
Beginning the day with a stretch
Breathe and relax
Breathe and relax
The sun is warming now, after a long winterThere is only attachment; there is no such thing as detachment. The mind invents detachment as a reaction to the pain of attachment. When you react to attachment by becoming “detached,” you are attached to something else. So that whole process is one of attachment. You are attached to your wife or your husband, to your children, to ideas, to tradition, to authority, and so on; and your reaction to that attachment is detachment.
- Krishnamurti
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Your Journey Month1-FOOD TRANSFORMATION
Yesterday we looked at four potential journeys in the FOOD TRANSFFORMATION. Once you have an idea of where you are currently, you can choose your challenge for the week and month from the list below. If you find that you are already doing the challenge, find a way (or ask) to do it better, or move on the the challenge for the next step. The order you do it in is not important. What is important is that you do what works for YOUR family and Don’t give up! Since the One year goal is to get become a Whole Foodie, there is no challenge for Whole Foodies. If you are a true, 100% Whole Foodie, you need to take the Nourished Kitchen challenge. You are beyond me, and you need to give ME tips! You may still find use in some of our recipes, or just humor in my posts.
All Boxed Up-Month 1
Challenge yourself to make your own hamburger helpers. Buy separate pasta, meats, cheese and sauce. If you have to, read the back of a box you would normally buy and buy the ingredients instead. (You know the ones you can pronounce)
Bonus
While learning to make your own helpers add a veggie to each meal. The only “veggies” that cannot be used are potatoes in any form and corn in any form. Potatoes and corn are not actually vegetables, they are carbs and you are already getting carbs with your pasta.
Baked Not Fried-Month 1
Get rid of canned soups and packaged sauces like Lipton Onion Soup Mix. No more cream of anything on your meat. Learn to experiment with spices, and other types of jarred sauces. Read the ingredients on soups and soup mixes and buy them to make your own seasonings for your entres.
Bonus
Eat 2 completely fresh veggies every week instead of canned. Make a salad or try fresh steamed broccoli instead of frozen.
Healthier Than Thou-Month 1
Only buy organic produce whether canned, frozen or fresh. The only exceptions are things that can be peeled such as bananas, oranges, pineapple, etc. If the skin is edible, buy it organic. More fresh than canned or frozen.
Bonus
Add and extra fruit or veggie to each meal. Example-if a recipe calls for onions, garlic and bell pepper to go with your meat, that is not a veggie. Add an actual side dish fruit or veggie to EVERY meal.
Whole Foodies
I’d like to hear from you. What changes will YOU make this month?
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Welcome to my experiment in food!!
Hi, everyone! Thanks for visiting my blog on the first post, and I hope you’ll come back regularly! So let’s get right to it!
I have decided to start an experiment in personal nutrition. Essentially, I am going to avoid any kind of processed foods for 30 days. Why? I’m not a spring chicken any more, and I can feel the effects of different foods and stuff on my body that ten years ago I would never have noticed. So to see what, if any, impact a “typical” American diet is doing to me, I want to put only non-processed foods in my body for a 30 day period. I’m not starting today, for a couple reasons: 1) I want to get a handle on what I’m eating now as my “staples” in my diet, 2) I want to get a handle on what the added costs will be (more on that in a coming post), and 3) I want to get input from others on what they eat, how they manage (if they do), and what impact such a radical change in lifestyle has had on their own and their families lives.
First, let me give you a quick run-down on me and my current lifestyle. I’m a career man, work 50-ish hours a week in my job, and eat accordingly. I don’t eat breakfast, basically ever. When I do, it’s along the lines of Diet Coke and Jack in the Box breakfast sandwiches. I rarely eat a balanced lunch, usually consisting of foods ranging from chili dogs to hand-made coldcuts sandwiches at home, to deli fare (local faves include Quiznos and a great local spot called “Newman’s Deli”). Dinner is whatever I happen to have the energy for.
Bottom line, I eat a lot of processed foods. Dinner tonite was a nice, healthy cobb salad, but with a rich, albeit tasty Ranch dressing. Followed closely with a couple slices of whole wheat bread (yay!) and Country Crock butter (boo!). On the good side I never add salt to any food I ever eat, and I don’t drink sugary soft drinks: gave that up long ago. On the bad side, just about everything I eat, as most Americans do, is loaded with sodium. I’m beginning to have problems with convincing myself I’m eating right, when one serving of a food contains one-fifth the amount of sodium we should consume in a single day! I can’t ignore that any longer.
I’m anxious to hear what other people have to say, and to hear what you’re doing to improve your lifes and you families lives through nutrition… Please let me know! And I’ll be posting here regularly as I get closer to launching my experiement, and will let everyone know how I’m doing as the experiment progresses!
And yes, this blog will be cleaned up quite a bit as time goes on, and I hope you’ll have the patience and interest to keep tabs on my progress, thoughts, and how I’m doing.
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Boxing with Jesus
I have taken up boxing. Not a little punch here and a little punch there – real boxing. And, you know what? It hurts. I haven’t done any thing yet, but I am not liking all of the core work that is involved. There are sit ups, push ups, crunches, and medicine balls involved. I am taking lessons from Jesus Chavez – former lightweight IBF champion of the world. This is no joke.
I sound hard core, right? Not to be messed with, huh?
Well, anyone who knows me knows that I am the biggest wuss. I love to eat and lack a great deal of inertia. I am soft in all of the unattractive places. Yup…a real bad ass.
Why would I do something like this? I really don’t know. I am surprised myself that I had the gumption to even set up something like this. However, after careful and deep introspection, I have found an answer: I want to see if learning to box with a real champion can improve my boxing ranking on the Wii. Secondarily, I would like to shed some of the sludge that insulates me during the winter months, summer months, and months in between.
I am going to try to take what I learn from Jesus and put it to the real test. Until then, my abs ache, my arms won’t lift above my head, and I can’t sit up in bed. Not to mention that my knuckles are slightly roughed up and bloody.
I believe that I am showing real dedication to the sport…on the Wii, of course.
p.s. any one in the area that is interested in taking up boxing, Jesus is the man. He is super nice and has probably deduced how much of a couch potato I am, but doesn’t hold it against me. Call Run-Tex to get info.
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How to talk money with your spouse-to-be
(ARA) – Will you raise your kids with a particular religion, will you both register with the same political party and how will you arrange reception seating to ensure your new mother-in-law is content with who is at her table and where she will sit? Getting married generates no shortage of opportunities to have important conversations with your spouse-to-be.
Maybe you can postpone or even dodge altogether some of those talks, but at least one potentially challenging conversation can actually help ensure your marital bliss down the road – the talk about finances. Numerous polls and studies have shown that money is one of the top reasons couples fight, that it generates more stress in a marriage than almost any topic other than children and is a deciding factor in a large percentage of breakups.
Making sure you’re both on the same financial page before the wedding can help ensure that post “I do” money talks will be less divisive and stressful. And, the good news is that establishing a sound financial footing for the future is not nearly as complicated as you might fear.
The financial experts at SBLI USA Mutual Life Insurance Company offer some advice:
Start with a budget
If you’ve lived alone as a single for a while, you may already have your own budget, but now you are balancing income and expenses for two people. If you combine your income and expenses, you’ll need to combine your budgets too.
Write down everything each of you spends every month, taking into account housing, food, utilities, transportation, student loans, credit card balances, car payments, taxes and nonessential spending. Next, consider what your financial goals are – do you want to save for a down payment on a house? Are you content to rent and instead focus on paying down revolving debt? Once you determine what your shared goals are, you can adjust your budget accordingly, reducing spending on nonessential items and focusing on spending that moves you toward your overall financial goal.
Establish an emergency fund
One reason so many families and couples suffered greatly in this recession was because they had little or no emergency funds set aside. An emergency fund helps ensure that you and your partner are secure should something happen, like one of you loses a job or experiences a serious health issue. Agree on how much you want to save for “a rainy day;” experts advise you should save 5 to 10 percent of your income in a joint savings account.
Pay yourself first by having cash for your emergency fund directly withdrawn from your paycheck or checking account and deposited in your savings account. Aim to accrue three to six months of living expenses in your emergency fund.
Life insurance is crucial
If you’re young, single, in good health and debt-free, you may not need life insurance. For virtually everyone else, and especially newlyweds who have taken on new responsibilities and often new debt, life insurance is a must, experts agree. Life insurance can give you peace of mind that your loved ones will have sufficient money to take care of themselves should anything happen to you – and it’s affordable. To learn how to create a budget, to access a variety of financial tools or to learn more about life insurance go to www.sbliusa.com. For a free, no-obligation quote go to pg.sbliusa.com/specialoffer/ppc/mat/ or call (866) 331-3078 to speak with an SBLI USA representative. Even better, go to www.sbliusa.com to complete the entire application process – from quoting, to paying – online today.
Make a plan – together
Write down your mutual financial goals. Your plan should be specific and realistic, listing the actual steps you will take to achieve your goals, including buying a home, starting a family, taking vacations and saving for retirement. Decide what additional investments you’ll make apart from your regular savings, such as maximizing your 401(k) or IRA contributions.
Be sure to include tracking your expense and income, as well as your tax burden, in your overall plan. Decide what tax filing status will be best for you, and consult a tax advisor if you’re not sure.
Reduce debt
Credit card debt is the top obstacle to a secure financial future and a major stressor in a marriage. Knowing your credit scores is essential; check them annually with all three major credit bureaus. Scrutinize your reports and correct any errors that could affect your ability to get a loan at a desirable interest rate in the future.
Money talk doesn’t have to be difficult. With a little strategy and the right attitude, you can build the financial security you need to secure a successful, happy life together
Courtesy of ARAcontent and Rob Dandrea, Real Estate Professional with Charles Rutenberg Realty of Clearwater, FL
727-510-2100 robdandrea.realtyoffice@gmail.com. Specializing in 1st time homebuyers.
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Session 3-7-10
Just Matt and I today…
2 rds shadow boxing
10 rds boxing sparring
2 rds freestyle footworkAt this point feeling more than a little warmed up we decided to play some Tatar Kuresh:
We had I think six quick bouts…a nice add on drill for our normal sambo program.
We then broke out the shillelaghs for some back and forth training for a few rounds but honestly after that much boxing our shoulders were pretty shot and holding the stick in the high guard was getting pretty uncomfortable.
Next up mountain axe…we did about a half hours worth of work, going over some basics and working through a play. It has been a while since we got to play with the axes so this was a lot of fun.
We finished the session tossing around the Bulgarian bag and some kettlebells for a few minutes just to make sure I was truly exhausted.
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Are you ready for some football!? In March?
As soon as midnight hit on Thursday night, no Rex Ryan didn’t turn into a pumpkin, but NFL free agency began. The collective bargaining agreement is up and teams enter an uncapped year starting March 5th. Teams didn’t waste any time going after big name free agents, and as Eric Clapton’s song states, “After midnight, we’re gonna let it all hang down.”
Here are the some of the big moves that came on the first day of free agency through free agent pickups and trades:
Sausage and PEPPERS for Bill Bradsky and the SuperFans
5-time Pro Bowler Julius Peppers signed a 6 year contract with da Bears on Friday. The deal is worth a reported $91.5 million, $42 million of that in guarenteed money. The D end has 81 career sacks and should help improve a Bears defense that struggled last year when Brian Urlacher went down for the year with an injury.
Boldin out of Arizona
The Cardinals Pro Bowl wide receiver was signed a 4 year deal worth about $25 million with the Baltimore Ravens. The receiver is the second addition added to the Ravens receiving corps this offseason, joining Donte’ Stallworth. If Derrick Mason stays put, Joe Flacco will have three legit receiving threats at his disposal.
Baby Lockdown has a new wingman
The New York Jets have acquired cornerback Antonio Cromartie from the Chargers in exchange for a 2011 draft pick. After the release of Lito Sheppard, Cromartie will be a more than worthy replacement to the Jets secondary. Cromartie has struggled the past two seasons, but Rex Ryan could be the motivator he needs to get him back to his All-Pro form. And he will take some of the load off the shoulders of the Masterlock, Darrelle Revis.
Daylight come and you’re going DELHOMME
Quarterback Jake Delhomme was sent packing after spending seven years as the starter in Carolina. Panthers’ GM said it was the toughest decision he’d ever made, and coach John Fox couldn’t hold back his tears when answering questions about his QB. Delhomme led the team to a berth in Super Bowl XXXVIII, losing a heartbreaker to Tom Brady and the Patriots.
Day 2 had some big names moving as well. Two more Cardinals following Boldin out of Arizona was the biggest news.
Rolle-ing into East Rutherford
Soon after meeting with the Giants in East Rutherford, Antrel Rolle decided he would make New York his new home in 2010. After signing a 5 year deal worth $37 million, Rolle had become the highest paid safety in the NFL. The former Cardinal is very excited about playing next to fellow Miami Hurricane, Kenny Phillips, saying “I know we can be the best pair of safeties in the league.”
Phins land a shark on defense
The third Cardinal on the move was Karlos Dansby, signing a 5 year deal with the Dolphins for $43 million. After visiting with Miami, it took the biggest contract ever for a linebacker to keep Dansby from visiting other teams and put him in Dolphin aqua and orange.
We Got a Situation: some of the developing moves that might be ahead
- T.O. said he would change his name to Ochouno if he were to join Chad Ochocinco on the Bengals. T.O.’s agent Drew Rosenhaus said the Bengals have shown interest.
- Jets may look to re-sign their recently released running back Thomas Jones. They saved almost $6 mil by cutting the 1,400 yard back, but now they want him back.
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Respect and Martial Arts
Hello All,
In this video Sensei Erik Paulson (www.erikpaulson.com) talks about respect and tradition in Martial Arts and MMA. I have trained in Martial Arts since 1992 and even though I trained in a style (Jeet Kune Do) that is very non traditional we placed a large emphasis on respect not only for Sijo Bruce Lee but for our fellow students as well.
One of the major knocks on MMA is that the fighters lack the respect and discipline that Martial Artists develope. I have personally seen this when training fighters and also in seminars. The reason for this I feel is the competitiveness of MMA and if you fight you need to establish your dominance right away. Trainers like Sensei Erik Paulson and Kru Greg Nelson teach this due to their Martial Arts backgrounds, also fighters like Lyoto Machida, Georges St Pierre show a high level of respect to their opponents.
Kru Greg Nelson has a saying that we use @ Synergy Martial Arts ” Practice with your partner not on your partner”. Being a good training partner is very important to the developement of your school, this is both for the Instructor and the student. If there is a high level of respect for one another this causes to seek to help out fellow students. When this happens the skill level of the school increases it is a win/win situation for everyone.
Watch this video and ask yourself how can you be a better training partner.
Shawn
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The Karate Kid
Director: Harald Zwart
Writers: Robert Mark Kamen
Christopher MurpheyWith Jaden Smith, Jackie Chan, Taraji P. Henson, Tess Liu
Work pressures cause a single mother moves to China with her young son; in his new home, the boy embraces karate, taught to him by a master of the self-defense form… The Karate Kid is a remake ot the 1984 American drama film directed by John G.Avildsen. …
Overbrook Enternaiement
Release Date:
11 June 2010 (USA)
http://www.karatekid-themovie.com/
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Burnley preview. Walk in the park? Think again.
So, here we are, the international friendlies have gone by and for once we went through them virtually unscathed – yes, Carlos Vela got injured again playing New Zealand after scoring a peach of a goal, but if you take into the account the fact that he is not really a first team regular at the moment, you will see what I mean.A lot has been said about the last week’s ‘unfortunate’ events at Britannia Stadium. I have voiced my opinion in the previous post and it did not change one bit. Shawcross came out and said he was not going to change either, which means that he is probably on course to add to the ‘impressive’ record of two fellow players’ legs broken at the tender age of 22. But no, he is not ‘that kind of player’. Twat.
Internationals or no internationals, our selection options are limited anyway – Big Sol joined Billy in the treatment room and Song starts his two game ban for collecting his 10th booking this season. This means that Silvestre and Denilson will both start – now while I don’t really rate either of them, I am intending on getting behind them fully and wholeheartedly: for the 90+ minutes today they are expected to do their best and some support could help them find the extra 10%, besides there is no point in getting annoyed with stuff you cannot change, is there? Here’s to both of them playing a blinder today and contributing to another fine victory by Arsenal FC. On the positive note, we are to welcome back Diaby and Arshavin and this should add some creativity, flair and maybe a goal out of nowhere.
Today, it’s all about the attitude: sure, it’s ‘only’ Burnley who only managed a single draw on the road this season and Coyle’s departure did not help them either, however, I have seen us losing or drawing a perfectly winnable game once or twice – the thing no Arsenal supporter wants to see today is complacency and knocking the ball about with no real purpose, we want to see The Clarets obliterated, this is a good chance to improve our goal difference, as this could be telling as far as winning the league this season is concerned. Yes, it may be THAT tight and we need to do ourselves all the favours we can. I want to see commitment, directness and belief – make no mistake, if we keep up with the two above us, we have every chance of nicking it. Yes, it would be nothing short of a miracle, all things considered, but hey, we probably deserve one, no?
It will be interesting to see if our players’ mentality has been affected by the horrific injury sustained by a team mate. We can talk about professionalism all we want, but they are all human afterall – after Taylor broke Eddy’s leg two years ago, our season went down the pan, as the players could not lift themselves up. Yes, we got a result last week, but how much of it was down to shock and not having much time to think about what happened and how much down to maturity? I guess we will find out soon enough – if we build on what we saw after the third goal, it may be the case of waking a sleeping giant (i.e. ‘now you’ve really pissed me off’), otherwise, we will witness another nearly season, simple as.
Have a good day Gooners – catch you all tomorrow to celebrate!