The Daily: September 2, 2018

Today is day four of this writing challenge. And today's writing challenge was made even more challenging by a freaky thunderstorm that knocked the power out in my neighborhood. Of course, my cell phone battery was nearly depleted and I am on-call for work, so I made my way to Starbucks for a cup of café latte and a quick charge for my phone. I just love Starbucks!

 It is Sunday, a day many reserve for church and family activities.

I am not a religious person but I routinely attend services at the Unitarian Universalist church in Columbia. I love their philosophy and I actually became a member over a year ago, the second organized church I have ever joined.

I am definitely a spiritual person. I am an ordained Buddhist layperson and an ordained minister in two Humanist churches. I do not believe in God in the way many people do (that is, an omnipotent being that punishes and rewards, one who we must fear and obey blindly). To me, God is the Universal energy that connects everything; that is my understanding, and it is likely flawed and incomplete, but that is the best I can come up with. As my Buddhist Master once told me, much of the Universe is beyond human comprehension. Although we see that it works, we do not always understand how it works.

Humans have a tendency to demand an explanation for everything, and so we come up with ideas/concepts about how things work. The problem, of course, is when we grasp unto our beliefs so tightly that we name them "The Truth." When our truth becomes the only acceptable truth then we enter the "suffering zone." We either suffer ourselves when others disagree with us, or we cause others to suffer because they think differently from us.

Those in power love this because that causes us to be divided, fragmented, impeded from working for the collective good. The elite has created all manners of ways to divide us, religion being but one of them. Globally, we are separated by national borders. We are split by races, ignoring the fact hat we are just one race: the human race. From early childhood we are taught to be rivals with something: a different school, a different sport team, a different club. Our world is constantly being fragmented with the main purpose of keeping us apart.

I often recall John Lennon's "Imagine" — I wonder what it would be to not be so divided, to be more united, to work together for the common good. Can we imagine a world without borders, without religions, without competitive team sports, without political parties? Can we imagine a world in which we no longer need to stand against things, in which we stand for things, and then work collectively to achieve those things?

I will share more about Sunday's service tomorrow.

HEALTH & FITNESS

I missed jogging again this morning. Darn it! I went to bed late last night working on "EveryDollar" and did not get up until after 7 AM. I cannot wait for Fall weather so that I can begin running during the day and evening. Let's see what happens tomorrow.

Speaking of fitness, I highly recommend the Darebee website. They provide, free of charge, a huge collection of workout plans, challenges, and other fitness and health information. All their materials are downloadable and printable. All for free. I donate monthly to them. Please consider supporting them if you find value in their resources.

And speaking of Darebee, I plan to start their "90 Days of Action" program tomorrow. I will keep you posted.

MEDITATION

I am on Day 38 of daily morning meditations. That is a record number of days for my meditation practice. Today's session was on Equanimity, the mindful intent of finding common ground with anybody we dislike. It is a powerful meditation because, at the very least, every being wants to be happy and free of suffering; we all have that in common. If we think about anyone we have a conflict with and we remind ourselves that the other person is also seeking happiness then we begin to build bridges with them.

GOALS, DREAMS, HABITS, RITUALS

Tim Minchin is an amazing comedian, musician and philosopher. I love his commencement speech. I have listened to it many times and I always laugh and I am moved and inspired by his words.

One of the most powerful messages from his speech is his plea for people to be teachers. Tim says, in part: "Be a teacher, even if you are not a teacher, be a teacher." We all have something to offer to the rest of humanity. Let us share our knowledge, our experiences, our discoveries. Every story matters, every voice is important. Raise your voice, share yourself with the world. Be a teacher!

One of the most amazing, thought-provoking pieces by Tim is called "The Fence." Enjoy!

PERSONAL GROWTH

For some time now I have been working on becoming a minimalist. Someone recently asked for a definition of minimalism. It boils down to this: a minimalist questions the value of everything in their life. It is not just about material things, although that is a good point to start. It is not about having the least number of things, it is about only having things that bring value in our life. And beyond the realm of "things" we can have other areas such as activities and relationships. We can view the things we do and the people we interact with regularly and find if they bring value to our life (and when it comes to relationships, we could also question whether we bring value into the other person's life). Sometimes we are in a crappy relationship and we are the cause of it being crappy.

For more information on minimalism, I suggest reading the blog by "The Minimalists". I met Josh and Ryan when they were in Columbia some time ago and they are genuine believers in the power of minimalism. You may also enjoy reading Leo Babauta's "Zen Habits". Leo was one of the original minimalists.

FINANCES

I have been using the "EveryDollar" website and app very successfully today. One word of caution. Do not get too far ahead in your monthly budgeting. If you create several monthly budgets and then you decide to add categories to the current month, the new categories do not automatically appear in future months unless you use the "Reset" function (link located at the bottom of the page) which will copy the previous month budget and categories, but also causes you to lose any budget data entered for that month. It is not a big deal, but I wanted to share this tidbit with you.

POLITICS

You may have heard or read that Sen. McCain's daughter delivered a strong message about how America is already a great nation that does not need to be made great again. #45 could not take the high ground on this and went on the attack. How un-presidential these actions are. Childish and vengeful behavior that would be expected of a 10-year old, not the head of state of the most powerful nation on Earth. But then again … perhaps he is not the legitimate head of state of the most powerful nation on Earth.

TIPS & TRICKS

For months now I have been using the "Waze" app to plan my drives, even the simplest ones. It has helped me avoid traffic jams many times. I highly recommend it.

The Daily: September 1, 2018

Day three of this writing streak; so far so good!

It is Saturday and it seems that the weekends are when I am most vulnerable to fall off my routines and abandon my goals. It goes to show that having a set of rituals for everyday can impact our success. I normally try to get up at 4:30 and be on the road jogging by 5 AM. That requires that I go to bed by 9 PM so that I can get enough rest. Last night, however, I went to bed late (after 10:30 PM) and I did not get up until almost 8 AM. By then it was a bit too hot for jogging so I miss that window for my favorite way to start my day. Too hot at 8 AM? It is if you have a health condition that amplifies the effects of histamines (normally released during exercise) and causes hives all over your back; that happens to me when I exercise in hot, humid weather. Which is interesting because I live in a city that is hot and humid most of the year.

HEALTH & FITNESS

When I first started jogging/running back in 2009, I discovered the Couch To 5K training plan. That lead me to discover Podrunner, the best source for workout music I know of. I have been so impressed and grateful for the hard work of Steve Boyett that I contribute monthly to his website funding. The music mixes that Steve produces can be used for more than just running; he often puts together Tabata mixes, walk mixes, etc. And if you just want to dance (which is also a great fitness activity) then Steve provides dance mixes at Groovelectric. Enjoy!

PERSONAL GROWTH

I have watched the following video many times, and I always find inspiration in the message it carries: it is the little things that make the greatest difference in life.

FINANCES

I started the process of setting financial information through EveryDollar. The initial set up is the hardest part. The next challenge is to keep up with entering transactions daily and working diligently to stay within our budget. Simple things, not so easy to always do. However, I am proud to have finally gotten started. I am very impressed with the website and look forward to using the mobile app. That should make it easier to keep up with things.

PODCASTS / VIDEOS

I want to mention two of the podcasts I listen to regularly:

• The New York Times Daily
• NPR's "Up First"

INTERESTING TIDBITS

Today is "National No Rhyme (Nor Reason)" day.

From the website "National Day Calendar':

September is filled with many reasons to celebrate and some of the celebrations have “no rhyme or reason”.  

National No Rhyme (Nor Reason) Day, observed annually on September 1, actually celebrates words in the English language which do not rhyme with any other words.  Also known as refractory rhymes, these are words that poets try to avoid using in verse.

Some unrhymable words in the English language include: 

• Orange
• Month
• Silver
• Spirit
• Chimney
• Purple
• Woman

HOW TO OBSERVE 

Make a list of words that you believe cannot be rhymed, and check if you are correct. Use #NoRhymeNorReasonDay to post on social media.

The Daily: August 31, 2018

Day two of this daily writing effort. It brings to mind the motivational power of streaks. How long can we do something? How many days can we do the same activity? What is the reward for going on long streaks?

Many groups use streaks to reward and motivate. My daughter told me about Snapchat and their streak philosophy; obviously, they want to increase user involvement with their platform, to create addiction to the chatting, even if it is not always meaningful communication.

HEALTH & FITNESS

My favorite health/fitness website, SparkPeople, uses streaks for motivation in many different ways. You can earn points for simply logging in, earn points for entering the foods you eat, the fitness activities you are perform, etc. During my best fitness (2008-2009), I ran a nice streak of daily log ins and daily journaling of nutrition and fitness. When I let go of that discipline is when I began to slide into unhealthy habits.

Recently, I started using an app called "Zero" to keep track of intermittent fasting. I am doing the 13 hour program and I am beginning to see results. For more than a year I have been stuck at a very unhealthy weight; finally I am beginning to see some weight lose and I am thrilled. Part of the success comes from portion control and part from the fasting hours.

GOALS, DREAMS, HABITS, RITUALS

I have been using the Bedtime feature of the Clock app that comes with the iPhone as a good reminder of when to go to bed so that I can wake up at 4:30 for my morning routine (which includes jogging and other exercises). As long as I go to bed when I am supposed to (or close to it) then I am up and going in time to get everything done. If I don't, then the morning routine suffers.

PERSONAL GROWTH

I am on my 36th day of daily meditation. That is a nice streak of 10-15 minute daily meditations. I use an app called "Breathe" to help with my morning meditations. I recently discovered "Oak" and began using it for my evening (before bedtime) meditations. Each app has its benefits.

As a follow-up to yesterday, here is some amazing advise from Wayne Dyer:

It's your choice: you can be a host to God or a hostage to your ego.

FINANCES

I signed up yesterday for the EveryDollar app/service promoted by Dave Ramsey. I will start the process this evening and keep you posted.

POLITICS

In the news yesterday: the Washington Post reports that American citizens from border states are being denied U.S. passports. In the news today: "Thousands of Vietnamese, including offspring of U.S. troops, could be deported under tough Trump policy". The anti-immigrant wave from this So-called President cannot be denied, and it is biased, not to mention heartless. It could also be very costly: Trump's Immigration Proposals Could Cost Social Security Up to $2.4 Trillion. Anyway you look at it, this is not the best approach to immigration issues.

PODCASTS / VIDEOS

All we have to do everyday to improve our life:

The Daily: August 30, 2018

It is hard to believe that just over a year ago I tried to do this daily posting and could not keep it up. Life seems to get too busy and it takes an enormous amount of discipline to write even a little everyday. But here I am, once more, because there are so many things we can share with each other. So here we go!

HEALTH & FITNESS

For several years I have been dealing with a number of health issues. Last year I finally went to a doctor to get a physical. From conventional medicine's viewpoint, my two main issues are high blood pressure and pre-diabetes. With some medication, careful nutrition, regular exercise, and managed rest/sleep, I am beginning to turn the corner on these conditions. I will share more on this later.

GOALS, DREAMS, HABITS, RITUALS

My thought for today: if we want to achieve our greatest goals, we must pay attention to our rituals. A small change in the things we do routinely can have a great impact on the rest of our life. Tony Robbins tells the story of advise he received from a golf pro (see video); he was told that a small change in how a gold ball is hit by the club makes a huge impact on its trajectory and where the ball ends up. Making a small change in our rituals and routines can have a tremendous impact on our life months and years down the road. It is important to remember that we act on "triggers"; for example, we get up and routinely do certain things, usually in a specific order. What if we changed one of those things? Here is an example. Let's say we wake up, hit the snooze button four times (about 36 minutes have gone by), then go to the bathroom, etc. What if we do not hit the snooze button and instead we get up, splash water on our face, and then do some gentle exercises for 20 minutes? How much would that small change impact our health in one year? Ten years? I think it would be huge!

Here is a funny video (warning: profanity used liberally and effectively in the video) on how to change our morning routine:

PERSONAL GROWTH

A friend of mine just watched her life shatter through domestic violence. During long conversations I reminded her of the two most important words we can keep using to settle ourselves for whatever we are facing: I AM.

We need nothing else but those two words. I AM. If we repeat them over and over to ourselves we can center on the fact that we exist and that is an amazing miracle in and of itself.

What we put after "I AM" can be huge in our mindset, our health, and our success. How often we hear people say "I am a smoker," or "I am a failure," or "I am no good at …" (and there are many variations on this: I suck at … , I cannot do math/cooking/skating/etc.).

But what if we used better additives to "I AM"? I am alive! I am successful! I am love! I am safe! I am strong! The impact would be significant in the energy we attract into our daily life.

FINANCES

Saving is one of the most important skills one can master for solid financial success. Here is a good MSN article on saving for the future.

My trick: my paycheck is deposited automatically to my credit union account. I then distribute money to various saving accounts based on goals and needs. For example, I know I need to save $300 each year for car taxes. I get 26 paychecks per year, so that comes to $11.54 per paycheck. I do the same for all recurring and expected expenses: car maintenance, home owner association fees, etc. However, my first payment goes to build and grow my emergency fund. Having an emergency fund is critical to prepare you for the ups and downs of life.

For more tips on financial success, I suggest visiting the Dave Ramsey website. Pay special attention to his Seven Baby Steps advice. Please note: I am not a Christian and Dave Ramsey is, and many of his teachings are based on Biblical references; so be it, to each its own. The truth is, his methodology works whether you are a Christian, a Buddhist or an Atheist. Most importantly, you need not buy or attend his full course to benefit from his knowledge; everything you need is right there in his website. It is simple, but not easy. You will need to stick with it to make it work, and work it will.

POLITICS

Oh my, where to start. I guess it is best to start by saying that this Fake President is a total disgrace to the nation. <sigh> That is not even a good start. I am at a loss for words on how bad #45 is. He cannot talk rationally, he cannot write rationally, he cannot think rationally. He has not grasp on facts, not even the simple, basic variety of facts. You don't believe me? Check the facts! He lives in a fantasy world in which he is Emperor; when things do not go the way he wants them to go, then heads roll and he unleashes his venom on the world. He cannot tell the truth; there is evidence that he is incapable of telling the truth. He may be a stereotypical pathological liar. He tells lies upon lies upon lies. <sigh> This is a sad situation, and our country (if not the world) is in danger while this person is in office. But the most dangerous thing is for us to remain quiet, to label his actions as "acceptable" because they are coming from an unconventional President. If we take nothing else from Sen. John McCain's life, let's take this: we must stand for the truth, and we must stand up to someone that wants to be a dictator disguised as an "unconventional politician."

PODCASTS / VIDEOS

Excellent video on cooking eggs in interesting and delicious ways! Enjoy!

FUNNY STORY

UPS could not deliver a package in Asheville, NC; the reason: bear in driveway.

Better Cleaners

One of the highest profit centers at any supermarket is the cleaning-supplies isle. Unfortunately, many of the products available in the market today are expensive and harmful to the environment (and sometimes also dangerous to humans and pets).

For quite sometime I have been using vinegar and baking soda as my only cleaning supplies, inspired by my friend Janet who is very wise in terms of cleaners and cosmetics.

Here are a few of the cleaning products we use at home:

Dish Washing Detergent

We wash dishes by hand because our dishwasher began to malfunction years ago and I refused to repair it or replace it. For a small family of three, washing a few dishes per day is not a big deal. This is a formula I came up based on things I learned from Janet:

• 1 part inexpensive dish detergent (I buy the 26 or 32 Oz  $1 product at Dollar Tree)
• 1 part white vinegar
• 2 parts water

Tip: using a large measuring cup, pour 2 cups of water, then 1 cup of vinegar and then 1 cup of detergent. This minimizes foaming. Stir gently and then pour slowly into a squirt bottle.

We use a little of the above mixture with a little baking soda and dishes come out clean every time.

Laundry Detergent

This one does not use vinegar, but here is my formula for a great laundry detergent:

• 1 part Wash Soda (Arm & Hammer)
• 1 part Borax (Twenty Mule brand)
• 1 part Zote laundry flakes (or you can grate a bar of your favorite soap, but that is a lot of work and the Zote product works great and is very inexpensive; we find it at Walmart in the laundry aisle).

Use a small (1/3-cup) scoop per load. This is so inexpensive, gentle on your clothes and skin, and kind to the environment.

A side note: when you forget to dry a load of laundry and it sits in the wash for a day or more, the smell of mold can develop quickly. Re-wash your load adding 1/2 to 1 small bottle of ammonia. The bad odor will be gone. This is a very simple and inexpensive way to deal with this problem.

Dryer Static & Freshener

In the dryer, we use dryer balls to combat static and to infuse a nice fragrance to our clothes. You can search for "wool dryer balls" for a great pick of suppliers. Currently, Walmart has six of them for less than $10.

We put three balls in the dryer with every load and that takes care of all static build up. We often place a few drops of essential oils on the balls to also give our clothes a nice fragrance. For sheets I use lavender essential oil to assist with good sleep; other clothes I use peppermint oil to have a fresh smell.

Three of the wool balls will last several years before showing any sign of wear.

Wrinkle-release Spray

For many years I have depended on a commercial wrinkle-release spray for the rare times that a garment comes out wrinkled from the drier and I do not feel like iron it. I recently found a great homemade formula:

• 1 part white vinegar
• 1 part water (distilled is preferred)
• 14-20 drops of your favorite essential oil

Pour the mixture into a spray bottle. Shake mixture gently and use like any commercial product. Spray lightly on the garment and smooth out the wrinkles. No more ironing!

Bathtub / Shower / Sink Spray

One of the most-neglected jobs around our home is cleaning the shower/bathtub. Here is a "miracle" spray that makes cleaning the tub a breeze:

• 1 part white vinegar (warm slightly in microwave to help with mixing)
• 1 part dish washing soap 

Pour the above mixture into a spray or squirt bottle. Spray the mixture and allow it to soak on the tub/shower walls for 30-60 minutes, then rinse thoroughly, wiping any stubborn spots as needed. I use this once per week to prevent the tub from getting dirty. It also works great on sinks and any other surface.

Toilet Bowl Cleaner

We spray white vinegar inside the toilet and then sprinkle a little baking soda all over the bowl surface. After a few minutes of soaking, a gentle brushing will leave the toilet completely clean.

Bleach Alternative

We all know that bleach is bad for the environment. Here is an alternative using natural products:

• 12 cups of water
• 1/4 cup of lemon juice
• 1 cup of hydrogen peroxide

Mix the ingredients well and pour into a spray bottle to use as a household cleaner, or use two cups of the mixture per load of laundry.

Window/Mirror Cleaner

The following is an inexpensive solution for cleaning windows and mirrors:

• 1/2 gallon of water
• 1/2 cup of ammonia
• 1 teaspoon of dish soap

Mix ingredients well and use in a spray bottle as you would any commercial product.

What do you use?

Do you have any homemade cleaning products you would like to share? Please leave a comment.

The Daily: August 15, 2017

Mom
Today is my mom's birthday. She would have been 88 today. Her name was Leslie and, interestingly, she passed away just months after Tracey died.

Mom and Tracey were very similar in character; they exemplified the typical strong British women, but the usual side effect of strong stubbornness. Almost from day one they did not get along no matter how hard they tried. Holidays were especially interesting at our house. :-)

The Daily: August 14, 2017

On Health

Today I started the Couch-to-5K program one more time. It is an awesome way to get back into running consistently. I run to the music of DJ Steve Boyett. You can find his 5K (and other) programs at the podrunner.com website.

• Podrunner website
• Podrunner's "Training Programs"
• Podrunner's "First Day to 5K" program

On Impermanence

We had our annual bowling league meeting today. Only seven bowlers showed up and we were not able to conduct business. The league, like many others in the area, has been shrinking year after year. Unless we can get more bowlers, this may be the end of a long standing league. I have been bowling with NDPP since 1999, and I have been its Secretary/Treasurer since about 2007. The current state of the league served to remind me of the Buddhist concept of impermanence: nothing lasts forever.

The Daily: August 13, 2017

I am challenging myself to write something every day. I love writing; so here it goes.

A UU Call

For the last few months I have been attending service at the local Unitarian Universalist church. This does not mean I have become religious nor that I have abandoned my Buddhist precepts. On the contrary, the more things develop in the world (and to no fault of the UU or Buddhist faiths) the more convinced I am that religion, as an institution, is one of the core reasons for many of the evil acts we witness daily.

Today was the first day for our new settled minister to officiate. The Rev. Jeff Liebmann made a brave and powerful call from the pulpit: it is time to ban the production and distribution of hand guns except as needed for law enforcement and the military. He called for a transition period in which people would voluntarily trade their weapons for cash. After that, weapons would be confiscated and destroyed.

It was obvious that his call for action was not well received by the congregation; only a few of us applauded at the end of the sermon. I over heard people around me and their comments were not positive; Americans love their guns.

Here is a little song about guns.

I so agree with a call for sanity, for a cease to violence, for all of us to take the first step toward peace in our communities.

It is time.

Health Notes — Do not wait, do it soon

My wife died ten years ago, on July 18, 2007. Her name was Tracey and she fought a valiant battle against breast cancer from April 2004 until she passed. In October of 2008 I participated in the last full-scale health screening offered by my employer; my numbers were not good and I took action. Between January and July 2009 I lost a total of 90 pounds and got in the best shape since my teens. And then the worst disease overcame me: complacency. Perhaps I became over-confident, or perhaps it was the stress, or perhaps it was turning 50 … the weight began to creep up, the energy decreased, and then came a bunch of weird events that left me with what looked like an auto-immune disease.

Fast forward to August 2017. I finally looked for and engaged a new family doctor. There were many good results in the tests we ran: EKG was clean, white blood cell counts are all OK (no cancer), no anemia, etc. The not so good news: I have high blood pressure and I am borderline diabetic. Darn it! I waited too long to make the needed changes to stay healthy. So I have begun to take medications to control these problems, and I am also beginning the lifestyle modifications that will allow me to regain my health and fitness naturally. My goal is to be medication free in less than six months. This sounds easier than it will be, but it is going to be so worth it! I am looking forward to having fun in the process of re-balancing my nutrition, my fitness, and my rest.

If you have not had a check-up for a while, please do not wait, do it soon. You may catch things before they get out of hand. I may have caught my conditions in time to do something about it and prevent some serious damage. We owe it to ourselves and to all those that love us.

The Charlottesville Tragedy

What a sad note in the history of our country. What a terrible tragedy for all those that lost their lives and their families. We are better than this. But there are those that like to keep us divided. With us divided and fragmented in so many hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of pieces, they win, they continue their reign of hate and fear, and we, the people, suffer. The sooner we realize that we are being divided, by design, so that we cannot improve our situation by uniting, the sooner we can take the steps needed to stop the madness. We get divided by religions. We get divided by political party. We get divided by race and nationality; by gender and sexuality; by income or lack thereof; by profession and trade. We get divided by sport, by team, by city and by region. The system has been designed masterfully to avoid unity at all costs. We need to wake up and unite for the common good of all. That means dialogue, compromise, and honest negotiation. That means the hard work of finding a win-win situation for all. That means being mindful of our biases and of all the biases we are being encouraged to have through division and separation. Together we can do so much; divided we will continue to suffer while an elite class benefits from our pain, our sickness, our poverty, and our ignorance. Perhaps we would benefit by embracing the philosophy of "ubuntu," the belief that there is an universal bond that connects all humanity. Let's find what connects us to others; in doing so, we will begin to erase the divisions, bridge over the separations, and heal together for the common good.

Hey CiCi's! You are terrible! Never again!

For the second, and last, time in a row, I have tried to place an order with CiCi's at Village of Sandhills in Columbia, only to experience problems with their ordering process; this last time it was a a complete order failure.

For many years my family and I have enjoyed CiCi's pizza, and we really love their chicken wings. Once in a while I will call them on my way home and place an order so that I can pick it up for dinner. A few weeks ago I called them while I was on the highway and they demanded that I give them a credit card; I was not about to risk an accident while traveling on the highway at 60+ miles per hour, so I canceled the order.

This evening we were having a birthday party for my daughter and I ordered pizzas and wings for our guests. I was not asked for a credit card (which I was ready to provide) and was told it would take 30 minutes for the order to be ready). I arrived at the restaurant 45 minutes later and was told that they had not placed the order in yet. I was furious as I have hungry teens at the house waiting for dinner.

So, CiCi's … you have lost my business. If you cannot trust me or get your stuff together, then you do not deserve my money. Not only will you lose the $40+ dollars per order, you have lost the $400 orders I used to place for my bowling league's parties. So long. I wish you well. Your service has disappointed me for the last time.

Coughing? You may want to try natural Thyme tea

For the last few years I have noticed that often the cough associated with the average cold or flu lasts for several weeks. I recently learned that Thyme tea is a wonderful, natural remedy to heal from persistent coughs. You can look it up in reliable places such as the People’s Pharmacy:

https://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2017/01/23/how-to-calm-a-cough-with-thyme-tea

Here is one recipe that has worked well for many: http://www.stepin2mygreenworld.com/healthyliving/cough-buster-thyme-tea/

You can vary the ingredients (except for Thyme, of course) to adjust to your taste. For example, some folks can tolerate the spiciness of Cayenne a lot better than others.

I hope this helps you or someone you know that is suffering from persistent cough.

2017 - Week #1

Here is  summary for the week.

Monday

On Day 2 of the new year, I ran 2.36 miles and walked 1.35 miles in the evening. I did great nutritionally. No strength training today. Mondays are normally the days I go bowling, so they will be my "rest" days for running and weights. Started the day at 253 pounds which was a disappointment because my weight last weeks was down to 250. I suspect I am not drinking enough water; need to work on that. I also may not be eating enough. Need to keep an eye on that too. It is a big balancing act. Another big bummer: I came down with a cold. I had originally thought about doing another 2 mile jog this evening, but opted out of that so that my body can deal with the cold.

Tuesday

Today saw an unintended change in routines, but it may be a very good change. I normally run in the morning with my dog Tara but this morning she refused to go with me because there was bad weather in a nearby state (she is ultra sensitive to thunderstorm activity). So I left to jog on my own. I used Podrunner's Gateway to 8K - Week 1. It was the perfect workout!

I must note that my right knee has been bothering for several days now. I am pushing through the discomfort and working on stretching exercises. I believe this pain is related to very tight leg muscles.

Today I also went to the fitness center at work for the first time since August. I did a light workout and also did 20 minutes of stationary bike, and that helped release some of my knee tension some. I remember that being the case back in 2009 when I also suffered from knee pain.

Very moderate nutrition day, although it was a rough start because someone brought cookies to the office and I indulged. Sadly, they did not even taste good. :-(  But the rest of the day was good and I was under the calorie intake goal set by SparkPeople as a guideline.

All in all, a great fitness day.

Wednesday

Started the morning with a nice jog on my own (still using Podrunner's Gateway to 8K - Week 1). I followed it with a nice walk with both dogs. The plan for today: go to the fitness center (lower body workout), and then join a Yoga class. I followed my plan fairly closely. Going to Yoga was a big relief to my knee. I did not do lower body, but repeated my upped body workout from Tuesday, with additional weight and reps.

Thursday

Today was one of those days that anybody wanting to improve fitness simply dreads. I woke up with back pain in addition to the knee pain. I could not run in the morning. I could barely walk all day, so I decided to give my body some rest. I got home and did two TENS treatments and some Tiger Balm on my back. Heading to the Chiropractor tomorrow.

Friday

Still not doing well. lower back spasms were the norm this morning, so no running or even walking around the neighborhood. Went to the Chiropractor for an adjustment. He thinks I may have another ruptured disc and told me to quit running; I am taking it under advisement. back to see him on Monday. I feel bad for my poor dogs that have not gone out for a walk since yesterday morning (they did go out to the back yard, of course, but it is not the same for them). And with this nasty weather we are having, tomorrow looks like another day without a walk (we are supposed to have rain, sleet, and snow -- which for here means nasty ice).

Saturday

I managed to walk today despite the cold weather. No jogging yet. My back is still tender; at least no spasms today. I am giving myself one more day of rest before restarting my activities. I may just walk tomorrow and do some Yoga at home (unless I can find a studio with a good Yoga class).

Sunday

My back feels quite a bit better. Not quite normal, but not too bad. My right knee continues to give me trouble, but it is far more manageable. I did some light walking with the dogs and not much more. I think tomorrow will be a good test for starting my exercise routine again.

Happy 2017!

As it is often the case for many, I start he year with the clear intention of working on my health. I have several goals that should all result in better health (including lower weight). My primary objectives are:

• Increased physical activity (cardio and strength training). Although I have been jogging regularly in the past, I am going to push myself a bit more on the cardio end and a lot more on the strength training end.
• Better nutrition, especially concerning tracking everything I eat. I will focus on eating more fruits and vegetables, and avoid all processed food.
• I will do more meditation and more Yoga on a weekly basis.

Today I started the year with an eight-mile jog — the longest I have jogged in quite a while. I used a couple of Podrunner's mixes to help keep me going for 2.5 hours. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience!

I am also back active with SparkPeople.

Links:

• Podrunner: look for the Mixes link. Today I used "Varied Tempo" tracks: 
• 140-160 BPM Bass Camp
• 140-160 BPM Bottom Five
• SparkPeople:

Detachment

I came across this story yesterday (I cannot recall where I saw it), and I think it is brilliant: A quick online search reveals that it is "The Gerbil Story" by Melody Beattie:

One day, my son brought a gerbil home to live with us. We put it in a cage. Some time later, the gerbil escaped. For the next six months, the animal ran frightened and wild through the house. So did we - chasing it.

"There it is. Get it!" we'd scream, each time someone spotted the gerbil. I, or my son, would throw down whatever we were working on, race across the house, and lunge at the animal hoping to catch it.

I worried about it, even when we didn't see it. "This isn't right," I'd think. "I can't have a gerbil running loose in the house. We've got to catch it. We've got to do something."

A small animal, the size of a mouse had the entire household in a tizzy.

One day, while sitting in the living room, I watched the animal scurry across the hallway. In frenzy, I started to lunge at it, as I usually did, then I stopped myself.

No, I said, I'm all done. If that animal wants to live in the nooks and crannies of this house, I'm going to let it. I'm done worrying about it. I'm done chasing it. It's an irregular circumstance, but that's just the way it's going to have to be.

I let the gerbil run past without reacting. I felt slightly uncomfortable with my new reaction - not reacting - but I stuck to it anyway.

I got more comfortable with my new reaction - not reacting. Before long, I became downright peaceful with the situation. I had stopped fighting the gerbil. One afternoon, only weeks after I started practicing my new attitude, the gerbil ran by me, as it had so many times, and I barely glanced at it. The animal stopped in its tracks, turned around, and looked at me. I started to lunge at it. It started to run away. I relaxed.

"Fine," I said. "Do what you want." And I meant it.

One hour later, the gerbil came and stood by me, and waited. I gently picked it up and placed it in its cage, where it has lived happily ever since. The moral of the story? Don't lunge at the gerbil. He's already frightened, and chasing him just scares him more and makes us crazy.

Detachment works.

Today, I will be comfortable with my new reaction - not reacting. I will feel at peace.

Starting a Revolution

Today, I welcome you to join me in a new movement, a revolution to transform each human being.

The challenge is simple. Each of us can stop putting labels on other human beings. No more Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians; no more Caucasians, African-Americans, Irish-Americans, Native-Americans, Asian-Americans, or any other -American label; no more gay, lesbian, trans, bi, queer; no more fat, skinny, beautiful, ugly. Simply, no more labels. We are all human beings. That is the only acceptable "label" (unless you are not a human being, of course).

As you go through your day, catch yourself before you label anyone else anything at all, and simply replace the original label with "just human."

#NoLabels #JustHuman

Do all the good …

Good words to keep in mind in the weeks and months ahead.

It is a Process

As the reality of the election results settles on the USA, I keep reminding myself that governing is a process. It is not a battle or a war, but a process of selecting those that are supposed to serve us. If the process is broken then we need to take responsibility and do what we can to fix the process.

Fixing a process can take enormous amount of work. It requires discipline and willingness to be mindful, inclusive, and civil. It demands the willingness to listen to each other, to learn from each other, to work with each other. It is not an arena where there are winners and losers; everyone must benefit, it must be a win-win proposition.

My heart is heavy and I cried with worry about the election results. I hope we can all conquer our fears, control our anger, and be ready to work harder than we have ever worked so that we can fix our broken process.

We need to unite to ensure everybody's peace, use our love potential to help everyone around us, and fight the tendency for complacency. Nobody wins unless everybody wins.

We do have a choice

I have been keeping low during the current campaign once Bernie Sanders conceded to Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination.

Bernie is gone

Sadly, Bernie is gone. In a very real sense he abandoned the revolution he started. He turned his back on his principles and "joined the party line" with a fear-causing message: Trump is evil and we must do everything we can to stop his run for the presidency.

From that point on, the talk about the values and principles that we, the Bernie supporters, fought for and were excited about, ceased to exist. Our hopes and dreams for a better form of government, one based on honesty and fairness, were betrayed.

But all is not lost. As the dust settled following the collapse of the Bernie campaign, a real choice became clear. For me, the Green Party of the United States represents hope for the future. I am not sure that there is much hope for the 2016 presidential election; too much energy was used up by the Bernie movement. However, we can begin preparing for 2020, and also focus on local and state elections.

A fear-less campaign

I believe it is time to transition from political campaigns based on fear, to those based on values, principles, and clearly defined goals and plans. For the most part, the Republican and Democratic parties do not provide that platform. As soon as they are put on the spot, they revert to fear-mongering.

Why the Green Party

I am choosing the Green Party because it has the same principles/values that the Bernie campaign had. The ten values listed there are of paramount importance to our society and our planet. It is time to shift away from a "greater profit" mentality and start thinking in terms of our "common benefit."

Above All

Above all, I hope everyone participates. We need everyone to cast a vote, to voice an opinion in a cordial, respectful manner, and to listen to the opinions of others in similar fashion. Then, and only then, will we be able to have an open dialog, to negotiate and compromise, and to work together for the common good.

Links

• Green Party website
• NPR Interview with Dr. Stein
• NPR article on Dr. Stein and the Green Party
• Green Party principles/values

The Cow & The Ice Cream

In the current election cycle in the USA, and probably in many other countries, we would be well served to remember the story I received in an email today. I have copied it below.

My thoughts:

• There is no free lunch; you cannot get something and expect it to come out of thin air. Politicians are great at making promises and not delivering them after they get elected. We must have a questioning attitude about all the promises we hear.
• Despite what the major political parties tell us, we do have more than two choices. We do not have to settle for one or the other. For some, the Libertarian Party may be a good match. For others, the Green Party would be a great choice. I suggest that making a choice based on fear is not in our best interest. If we choose candidate A mostly because we fear or dislike candidate B, then that is not a great selection.

Here is the story I received today:

We are worried about 'the cow' when it is all about the 'Ice Cream.'

The most eye-opening civics lesson I ever had was while teaching 3rd grade this year.

The Presidential election was heating up and some of the children showed an interest.

I decided we would have an election for a class president.

We would choose our nominees. They would make a campaign speech and the class would vote.

To simplify the process, candidates were nominated by other class members.

We discussed what kinds of characteristics these students should have.

We got many nominations and from those, Jamie and Olivia were picked to run for the top spot.

The class had done a great job in their selections. Both candidates were good kids.

I thought Jamie might have an advantage because he got lots of parental support.

I had never seen Olivia's mother.

The day arrived when they were to make their speeches.

Jamie went first.

He had specific ideas about how to make our class a better place. He ended by promising to do his very best.

Everyone applauded and he sat down.

Now is was Olivia's turn to speak.

Her speech was concise. She said, "If you will vote for me, I will give you ice cream."

She sat down.

The class went wild. "Yes! Yes! We want ice cream."

She surely would say more. She did not have to.

I initiated the discussion that followed. "How did you plan to pay for the ice cream?"

She wasn't sure. But no one pursued that question. They took her at her word.

Would her parents buy it or would the class pay for it... She didn't know.

The class really didn't care. All they were thinking about was ice cream...

The Brick

The following came in an email this morning; thank go to my friends Fred Broughton, DTM, and Hellen Kelly, DTM, for sharing this great story. I hope you enjoy it.

I found the passage at this site: http://www.experienceproject.com/stories/Love-Inspirational-Story/735215. It is a shorter version of what I received in the mail, and more to my non-religious liking.

The Brick

A young and successful executive was traveling down a neighborhood street, going a bit too fast in his brand new Jaguar. He was watching for kids darting out from between parked cars and slowed down when he thought he saw something.

As his car passed, no children appeared. Instead, a brick smashed into the Jag's side door! He slammed on the brakes and spun the Jag back to the spot where the brick had been thrown.

He jumped out of the car, grabbed a kid and pushed him up against a parked car shouting, "What was that all about and who are you? Just what the heck are you doing?" Building up a head of steam he went on. That's a $65,000 new car and that brick you threw is going to cost a lot of money. Why did you do it?"

"Please mister, please I'm sorry, I didn't know what else to do," pleaded the youngster. "I threw the brick because no one else would stop..." Tears were dripping down the boy's chin as he pointed around the parked car. "It's my brother," he said. "He rolled off the curb and fell out off his wheelchair and I can't lift him up."

Sobbing, the boy asked the executive, "Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair? He's hurt and he's too heavy for me."

Moved beyond words, the driver tried to swallow the rapidly swelling lump in his throat. He lifted the young man back into the wheelchair and took out his handkerchief and wiped the scrapes and cuts, checking to see that everything was going to be okay.

"Thank you and may God bless you," the grateful child said to him.

The man then watched the little boy push his brother down the sidewalk toward their home. It was a long walk back to his Jaguar...a long slow walk.

He never did repair the side door. He kept the dent to remind him not to go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at you to get your attention.

Great family rules

While visiting friends this weekend, I saw these great family rules on one of their walls:

I cannot read who the original author is. I tried to find it on the web. I am posting this without intent of copy right infringement and will gladly remove it if so requested (or I can post purchase information on behalf of the company). I will try to get more information on this as soon as I can.

Back Pain: what helps me

Warning: the following is not meant as medical advise because I am not a doctor. However, I have been dealing with lower back problems for several decades and the following things help me tremendously when I go through a flare-up:

• Over-the-counter pain medications such as Ibuprofen and Advil. You want to choose something that is anti-inflammatory and easy on your stomach. 
• Tiger Balm is a great ointment that relieves discomfort.
• A good TENS machine: this is the same technology used by many chiropractors and physical therapists, but you can get it at home. My recommendation: a model 7000 unit from tenspros.com. This unit comes with everything you will need to get relief. I am so sold on it that I have one in my car and one at home. Wherever I am, I can get relief. It takes me two to four 30-minute sessions to feel better when my muscles get so wound up that I end up with back pain. Please note that the electrode patches are re-usable. There are several types of electrode patches and today I finally used one designed for lower back treatment; I bought these several years ago but I had not needed them until now.
• Get regular (monthly or more often) chiropractic treatments. This will help keep you be properly aligned, and that is critical to your pain-free health. I have been visiting my chiropractor (Dr. Greg Bonham, in West Columbia, SC) since 1989. He has helped me through two ruptured discs and many instances of misalignments. I am now taking my kids to see him and they are experiencing the benefits of his treatments. My wife and my mom were both patients of Dr. Bonham.
• Stretching and Yoga: many times, lower back pain can be caused by tight leg muscles. Stretching several times per day helps me stay pain-free or gets me back from that point when pain flares up. I found this page at Simple Organic Life that has the stretching exercises that help me the most. Add a "Cat-Cow," "Cobra" and "Child's Pose" from Yoga and you will benefit from great preventive stretching (or a quick fix when things get tight).
• A hot bath with Epsom Salts (perhaps adding a few drops of essential oils such as lavender or rosemary or peppermint or all of those).
• A massage!

I hope these suggestions help you be pain-free, active and happy!

BAM: Customer Service?

Update # 2: One of my friends spoke to the staff at a different BAM store and they were surprised about what they were hearing and told my friend that they would never get away with that type of behavior or practices. One of them said: "So, that's how they get out so early!" Which told my friends and I that this was a local management decision and that the management of that store in Sandhills obviously does not care about their customers (which confirmed our previous impression). We decided that our loyalty was betrayed and we will not to go back there.

We have tried several places for coffee and, personally, I am sold on Panera. Everybody's attitude there is super positive and friendly, the coffee and pastries are great, and the atmosphere is cozy and light. Good bye Sandhills BAM, hello Sandhills Panera!

* - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - *

Update #1: A representative from BAM contacted me within hours of posting this entry and apologized. Less than a day later, the District Manager contacted me via phone. Both of them offered their apology for our bad experience and promised to remedy the situation. We were even offered a free cup of coffee for our trouble.

* - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - *

I rarely complain about things. It is not one of the activities that I consider productive. And I rarely write about problems I have with companies or suppliers, but I am making an exception about the rude and unwelcoming treatment two friends and I experienced at Books-A-Million at the Sandhills Mall.

My friends and I have been meeting at the BAM in Sandhills for several years now. We get there at 7:30 PM on Wednesdays and we leave when the store closes. We drink coffee and talk. We do not cause trouble and we are always cordial with the staff. A couple of months ago the barista started to put chairs on tables around 8 PM, an hour before closing. This made us uncomfortable. Two weeks later the same thing happened and we made the comment that doing so was giving us an un-welcomed feeling and may give potential customers the signal that the coffee shop was closed. The barista continued putting chairs up regardless. I complained to the store manager and she indicated she would take care of it.

Last night, again at 8 PM, a new barista started putting chairs up on tables and, essentially, shutting down the place. I complained and she said she was doing what her manager had told her to do. So, I told my friends that we were no longer welcomed at BAM's Joe Mugs and that I was not coming back.

So … beware. In my opinion, the Joe Mugs coffee shop inside Books-A-Million in Sandhills is not a welcoming business that cares about its customers. It only makes me wonder if the same attitude prevails in other parts of the bookstore. Considering that the staff was vacuuming the front door area at 7 PM (something they normally did at 9 PM) I am guessing that it is. BAM may be saving a few dollars by not keeping their staff working after 9 PM, but they are also pushing customers away with this unfriendly attitude.

Is it any wonder that regular stores are not very profitable and cannot compete with online stores? At least if I buy books online I don't have to deal with a loud vacuum cleaner interrupting my shopping experience, or the unwelcoming feeling of staff putting away chairs an hour before closing time while my friends and I are having a pleasant conversation.

Rudeness has a price attached to it, and the BAM store in Sandhills has rudeness on sale at their store … but I am not buying any.

Oh, and don't try calling the Customer Service 800 number. You cannot talk with anyone there to share your experience.

Just five minutes

Do you ever find yourself stuck with a task that you just do not want to do? The thing sits there, festering away, undone and mocking you for your procrastination!

The folks at AE (Asian Efficiency) recently mentioned a nice strategy that my kids and I have used for years: the five minute rule. Pick your most dreaded task (for example, folding laundry) and determine that you will do that for no more than five minutes. Set a timer for five minutes and then do that dreaded task until the timer goes off. At the very least you would have made some serious progress on that to-do; and most times you know you are so much closer to finishing it that you just keep going.

The trick is to just get started!

We have used this idea for cleaning our house, doing dishes, etc. Try making it fun by doing a 5-minute relay game: one person starts and does the task for just five minutes, then the next person takes over for five minutes, etc. Great team work and a nice way to share the load.

Some tasks may need a 10-minute lapse instead of just five. The nice thing is that you (and your team) can set the work time to whatever you want. The important thing is to get started and make as much progress as possible.

And this idea lends itself nicely for competitions. For example, who can clean the most windows in five minutes? The winner gets a reward. :-)

In the end, what is important is that progress is made, even if it is in five-minute chunks.

Reading faster and more efficiently

It is not all about speed now, is it? The lure of speed reading is not only to read faster but to also increase our understanding of the material. Here is a nice article on how to improve our reading efficiency: Systematically Skim Books to Learn Better

Page-Turners and Cliff-hangers

Do you want to give your productivity (and creativity) a boost? Then go over to this great (short) article and read about a simple technique that is sure to help! I have used this methodology for years and it really does work (and it is easy and it is free!).

Page-Turners and Cliff-hangers Technique

The End of Plenty

NPR's "Fresh Air" show of June 8 was truly captivating, especially the first segment concerning the book "The End of Plenty" by Joel Bourne. Here is the link to the show in case you missed it.

Mr. Bourne makes some very insightful points about our food production models. I was particularly interested in the fact that GE/GMO crops have not been found to produce significantly higher yields than unmodified versions. If this is true and we add to it the fact that there is evidence of human DNA alteration from GMO products, one has to stop and wonder what benefit (other than huge profits for companies like Monsanto) this altered products bring us. Here are some references:

• DNA From Genetically Modified Crops Can Be Transferred Into Humans Who Eat Them
• DNA from GMOs can pass directly into humans
• How GMO Foods Damage Human DNA

Another disturbing aspect of the report is the prospect that regardless of our advances, we will not be able to produce enough food to feed all of humanity 50 years from now. That is a scary thought if you just stop and think about it. Part of the problem is that we are taking an enormous amount of our crops and using them to feed our cars instead of feeding people. In the process of trying to maximize profits, we are overusing pesticides and fertilizers disregarding the damage to the soil, rivers, lakes, oceans, and all the eco-systems connected to them.

Coincidentally, yesterday I also came across this video from Conservation International:

The most powerful point: if we keep this up, we may not destroy the planet, but we may destroy our species.

Shameful corruption

On my way home yesterday I listened to a report on NPR about how the American Red Cross raised $500 million after the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, and how Haitians are still living in horrible conditions five years after the disaster.

Here are pertinent links:

• NPR report: In Search Of The Red Cross' $500 Million In Haiti Relief
• ProPublica report: How the Red Cross Raised Half a Billion Dollars for Haiti and Built Six Homes

This is an example of an organization that has grown to the point of being poisoned by corruption and inefficiency. I have seen this in the Red Cross since the 1970s in my native Mexico. I saw a little of it in my dealings with it in Upstate NY as a member of the EMS community. And now these reports show that the magnitude of problems with the Red Cross are enormous.

Personally, this reinforces my hesitation to contribute to this organization. I will not send money to them, and I am questioning my commitment to donate blood. I know they sell my blood and platelets (to the highest bidder?). How much of that money goes to serve the community or help the poor and those in need? The more I read on that the more doubts I have about their operational model.

Perhaps it is time for all of us to research the Red Cross and demand much more accountability and transparency. They need to do the right thing at the right time, not the things that look right but solve none of the problems at hand.

The dangers of Contra

For the last few years I have been involved in a seemingly innocent and fun activity called Contra dancing. I invite you to watch this video to get an idea of what Contra is all about, then come back and read the rest of the blog posting.

So, in no particular order, here are the dangers of Contra dancing:

• It is addictive — oh, sure, at first you can go once a month to the local dance and be happy with just that. But then horrible things begin to happen. By Wednesday morning you begin to have withdrawal symptoms. When there is no local dance scheduled for that weekend, you start looking for dances in nearby communities. Soon you find yourself driving one, then two, then three hours to a dance. In my case, I started with Lake Murray Contra (thanks to my friend Robin), and then to Columbia Contra events. Soon we were going to Charleston, SC, and Charlotte, NC, for some dances. Now, I routinely go to dances in all those places plus Greenville, River Falls and Spartanburg (website coming). The addiction is so bad that I find myself missing the Contra dance on Monday instead of Wednesday. See how bad it is? And now I am thinking maybe I can drive to Atlanta or Florida for a dance when there are none in my areas. Bad, isn't it? And don't even get me started on Contra weekends! I attended my first weekend-long event this April (The Palmetto Bug Stomp in Charleston, SC) and now I keep looking forward to more weekend-long events!
• It disallows any sense of inactivity and boredom. If you are a coach potato, being exposed to Contra dancing is a bad idea. You will quickly find yourself wanting more activity. It will start with one dance per month, then two per month … soon you will want to start running and lifting weights. And you might as well cancel your cable subscription and sell your TV(s). You will not have time or desire for those things.
• It makes you new friends even when you don't expect them. Picture this: you show up at a Contra dance having 20-30 friends. After just two or three hours you leave the dance with 50 more friends. Oh, but it does not stop there.  Wait until you attend a weekend event -- then your circle of friends grows exponentially. It can be exhausting having these many friends! And some even bring you into their homes and make you part of their family just because you are a Contra dancer.
• As if all the above was not enough, your sense of community gets inflated almost as much as a politician's ego at a political rally. Soon you find yourself volunteering to be a Board member for one … two … three or more groups. You volunteer to do events. And someone gets you started as a Caller. It is all very dangerous, I am telling you!
• You will be forced to learn new skills — not on the dance floor, as Contra dancing is nothing more than fun walking to fantastic music, but in many other areas. For example, if you start calling, your memory will improve, you will learn to modulate your voice, improve your listening skills, and work on having great timing and rhythm.
• You will be forced to give up on perfection and focus on having fun. Dancers, callers, organizers, musicians — they have all abandoned the concept of perfection and embraced the joy of having fun, laughing at all the goofy stuff that happens, and moving on quickly so that the moment can take over and fill your heart with joy. Contra teaches you to be in the here and now; what happened a moment ago is gone and what may happen tomorrow has no room in your mind and heart. The only thing that matters are the people you are with and the fabulous music you are dancing to. You focus on the here and now or the group will bring you there very quickly. Beware: Contra dancing is pure mindfulness in motion.
• You will develop smile muscles you never knew you had.

I am sure there are many other potential dangers of Contra dancing that I may have missed. If so, please feel free to comment and let me know what perils you have encountered in your Contra dancing journey.

Looking 10-15 Years Down the Road

Goals are dreams with a deadline.

Plans are what helps us achieve our goals.

How far ahead do we plan?

Source: http://7-themes.com/6776415-beautiful-scotland-wallpaper.html

I am beginning to plan the trips I will take when I retire some 10-12 years down the road. If all goes well, the road will be my home. I will have a modest vehicle to live in and will criss-cross the USA, Canada and (perhaps) Mexico. I have a three-prong mission and a clear vision. And when not on the road on the American continent, I am planning trips to visit other countries. First stop: Spain. That will be followed by Scotland and England. Each will be at least three weeks long. I have books I am reading and planning my trips.

Do you have long-term plans, goals, mission and vision?

When we fail to plan we plan to fail. (Benjamin Franklin)

It is time for reform and re-evaluation

The latest scandal on a large organization (this time FIFA) is a clear indication that our society needs a re-boot. Organizations such as FIFA, the International Olympic Committee, all governments, and most corporations have become corrupted. Their sheer size is a perfect conduit for corruption. The larger the enterprise, the more likely that things will begin to run amok, that accountability will fade away, and that transparency will be replaced with secrecy.

It is time for all of us to demand reform, accountability and transparency. We are all paying the cost for this corrupted system.

It is also time for us to take action. Let us not support organizations that fail to meet high ethical standards. Let us all re-evaluate our own behaviors.

“Be the change that you wish to see in the world.”

Mahatma Gandhi

"The Door to December" by Dean Koontz

I recently finished reading "The Door to December" by Dean Koontz. I have been a fan of his for many years (ever since I read "Lightning"), and this book is a great read. It explores the effects of scientific experimentation mixing the occult and paranormal phenomena. This is a definite page-turner from start to end.

The Minimalists

Have you heard of minimalism? I briefly mentioned it in my 2014 Challenges post.

I first became aware of minimalism through Leo Babauta at Zen Habits. Then I was introduced to the Minimalists website ran by Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus.

When Joshua and Ryan announced their 2014 Tour and I found they were coming to Columbia, I volunteered to help anyway I could. So I will be taking pictures of their visit. They will be in Columbia on May 17 and in Charleston on May 18. Tickets are free! :-)

Joshua and Ryan recently started a new Minimalists Meetup site. I applied and was selected to be the leader for the Columbia group. We plan on meeting at least once per month to talk about making our life's better through minimalism.

Come join us! It is free. It is simple.

Picture of the Day: 2014-01-05

It is (about) time: more minimalism.

These two clocks (with batteries that have been dead long ago) have been sitting on a bookshelf for years. They will now go to charity. Part of the steps to rid our home of unused, unneeded "stuff".

(Sorry the picture is blurry — probably all the dust on the items. <G>)



Picture of the Day by Victor Gascon is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at http://gasconjedi.blogspot.com/.

Picture of the Day: 2014-01-04

My new desktop: clean, uncluttered

I have finally cleaned my desk. It is now fairly uncluttered. I installed a new LED light so that I can see better when it is dark. I keep my water bottle near all the time.

I use a traditional Day-Timer and my electronic calendar to stay organized. I accomplish more when I write tasks and appointments down by hand. I once was completely electronic (I loved my Palm Pilot) but things have changed and I find myself better off this way. But I am also sure things will change again and I may go completely electronic in the future.


Picture of the Day by Victor Gascon is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at http://gasconjedi.blogspot.com/.

Picture of the Day: 2014-01-03

Running at Sesqui State Park - no danger of me exceeding the speed limit. :-)

View from new bridge at Sesqui State Park

One of the many pleasures of running is being able to capture great pictures. Even if you don't run, just walking outdoors will present you with many photo opportunities.

Have you noticed that no two sunsets are quite the same?


Picture of the Day by Victor Gascon is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at http://gasconjedi.blogspot.com/.

Picture of the Day: 2014-01-02

Minimalism, step 1: five bags, one room

The kids and I cleaned out our guest room. This donation went to the Kidney Foundation. One room down, several more to go.


Picture of the Day by Victor Gascon is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at http://gasconjedi.blogspot.com/.

Picture of the Day: 2014-01-01

Today, I have two pictures to share with you.

January 1 run with the Columbia Running Club! Great way to start the new year!

All structures are unstable, impermanent.

As I was running I came upon the above structure and could not help but to think of Eckhart Tolle's story of unstable structures.

Licensing:
 
Picture of the Day by Victor Gascon is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at http://gasconjedi.blogspot.com/.

2014 Challenges

Happy 2014!

Here are my challenges for the new year. These are my opportunities for growth in 2014.

1. Picture of the Day: I will publish at least one picture evey day. I am undertaking this challenge in memory of my friend David Martin who passed away unexpectedly in 2009 at the young age of 39. He had started a similar challenge back then.
2. Daily Blogging: I currently have five blogs, and I will update at least one of these every day.
• Victor's Journey: my personal blog (which you are currently reading)
• Victor's Technology Corner: a blog about computers and technology in general
• Fitness is LIFE!: a journal about fitness and health
• My fitness blog at SparkPeople
• Motivate, inspire … live!: a blog about my public speaking journey
3. By December 2016, I will be back at 180 pounds and be fit and healthy. I will do so by:
• Exercising daily
• Eating healthy
• Resting enough
• Recording my activities and nutrition using SparkPeople
4. I will be more active in minimalism and will remove at least one thing I do not need from my life everyday.

Thanks for sharing my journey!

PS: I am pre-dating this post so that future posts can make sense. For example, I already took the pictures for several days and will be posting them separately.

Free books!

For quite sometime now I have been receiving free (and very inexpensive) e-books from BookBub

BookBub: Free and Bargain Kindle Books, Nook Books, and more

I can read them anywhere on my SmartPhone or any computer. Love it!

Two new blogs

Greetings!

I am announcing the start of two new blogs:

• Fitness is LIFE! : a blog dedicated to sharing information on getting fit and staying healthy. 
• Motivate, inspire … live! : a record of my journey as a public speaker and a tool for anybody to find ways to positively impact others with their words.

Why two more blogs? In one word: specialization. This will help keep different aspects of my rantings under different roofs.

Iin case you missed my other blogs:

• Technology Center
• Fitness story

Enjoy … and please send your thoughts, comments, requests and suggestions so that I can help as many people as I can!

Travel tips that make sense

Here is a recollection of Leo Babauta's latest vacation trip with his family.

» 16 Essential Tips for Traveling with a Family :zenhabits

He shares excellent tips on how to have fun, enrich your mind, and make the best of the places you visit.

And this is his wife's perspective on traveling light. But forget the "women" slant: her advise is great for all genders and for all parents.

» Eva’s List: Traveling Light for Women :zenhabits

I know I will be using their ideas in future trips.

And from the "my friend told me about this" file, here is a recommendation from a good friend of mine: Airbnb.

Vacation rentals, private rooms, sublets by the night - Accommodations on Airbnb

She had an excellent experience and I definitely will plan on using this website for future travel plans.

Enjoy!

The Magic 9-Letter Word

Courtesy of OmHarmonics

Studies show that this one thing can make you 25% happier.

It makes you immune to anger, disappointment and frustration.

It's even been shown to heal pain and illness in your body.

That one thing is GRATITUDE - and amazing things happen when you integrate it into your meditation practice.

Here's a fun exercise to try:

1. As you sit down to meditate, breathe in deeply and imagine your heart filling up with gratitude. Radiate that energy and light from within feeling blissful and deeply thankful.

2. Think about five specific things to be grateful for on this day. This can be something simple like "that pasta I had for lunch was delicious", up to something really important like "I'm blessed to have a loving partner and family".

3. Think about the people behind the situations you were grateful for and express thanks to each of them.

4. Remind yourself that whatever you focus on, expands. When you focus on gratitude and positivity, you will get more of that in return. Be mindful that you will attract more abundance, love and health by being grateful for your current state in these areas.

Allowing Things to Happen

» The Wisdom of Allowing Things to Happen :zenhabits

The Master allows things to happen.
She shapes events as they come.
She steps out of the way
and lets the Tao speak for itself.
~The Daodejing

What is your motivation?

Here is an excellent video from Tony Robbins that gives a very interesting explanation of what motivates people.

Tony Robbins: Why we do what we do, and how we can do it better

Gas Mileage Tips

There are many myths about what works to improve gas mileage. Even with today's gas prices, it makes sense to watch our gas consumption. There is no guarantee that gas prices will stay low, and the environmental impact of higher gas usage is significant.

Good Hands News: Perplexed-at-the-pump

Enjoy!