The driver of tomorrow is not thinking Green...

The driver of tomorrow is not thinking Green...
He's thinking Classic. (click on photo)

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Dec 13, 2010

Unemployment: Today's Rant

Maybe I hate politics and people's stupid generalized comments because it makes me ANGRY. Here's my MSN rant today:

I assume you're not unemployed. Or haven't been for 2 years. One of the biggest life lessons I've had is being judgmental about people & finding myself in their position and gleaning deep understanding. Here's our story (below). My husband is still going out on repeated interviews. The last few last week is for a job 90 minutes away, w/ferry ride. He'll never be home. Why? So he can "get off his butt" and be EMPLOYED. Millions of people out of work - MILLIONS. And no jobs. NO jobs. We are talking people educated & experienced who can't meet a mortgage or provide for families working at McDonalds. The industries they've given their lives to have crashed. And we've cut cut cut everything, cell phones, life insurance, renters insurance, drained savings, 401K's, talked w/our kids, taken them outside in sub freezing weather to give perspective to what people w/o homes are living in - making us grateful for what we do have as we reach a future of 1 income to provide. This is what we do while our government, our banks, those in power play stupid games with each other, pad their own pockets while we, the people that carry the burden, figure out how to get through the winter.

So please be careful about your generalization comments about the unemployed when you're not living the realities of that life.

http://www.unemploymentextensions.org/family-of-7-facing-change/82804/

Oh yes and I should add that my husband took a part time seasonal job through a local temp agency. The job is either freezing to death or being dumped on by this weekend rain, while he stands outside monitoring a local mall parking lot for 8+ hours. He was a Corporate Director before. He joined thousands of other people @ the UPS interview system, to be told if he agreed to the min wage grunt labor job AND he were to not finish that during the holiday season, as in take a full time, permanent, well paying with benefits for his family career position, should it be offered, he would be blacklisted & unable to ever work for them again. This is what the unemployed are faced with while trying to keep their homes & families together. Working the system? I think the system is working us.

Another frightening realistic perspective from the front. My husband showed me Sundays employment ad, which in the Times used to be a HUGE section of the metropolitan paper. He held it up, 4 pages. 1 sheet, printed on 4 sides. The actual classified? First sheet only 1/2 page long, pointed to the next "full" page (narrower than normal), turned the page over. One more. Fear constricted because it was an eye opener of reality. Those of you that think unemployment should just end - unemployment HAS ended. And where are those people going? The State for food assistance, health insurance coverage, TANF - it's still being paid for. While the State sinks 90 million into a State prison, only to close it down for budget cuts 10 years later.

Where's the problem?

Dec 6, 2010

7 Moves that will make you a better Dad (MSN)

This was an outstanding article, for a MSN article.

1. Dig deeper

A nice house, cool clothes, and grub on the table just aren't enough. Providing for our kids is in our DNA, but how well do you know yours? Do you know who your kids play with at recess? What subject they really struggle with? What they love to eat for hot lunch? If you don't know these things, you need to. While all of us are busy as hell with work and everything else in our lives, we need to make time for our kids and get to really know them -- especially the odd, everyday things that make them tick. I make it a point to talk with my kids about what happened at recess before asking about what happened in class. I want to know about the relationships they're forging, and also what they're up to with their only free time of the day. It's not easy to get this from them. But here's a fun way to spend a little time with them that they'll think is awesome: When your son or daughter is standing at the bus stop ready to be picked up for school, drive up, stop, and tell them to get in. Kidnap them for breakfast and they'll think it's the coolest thing ever. When kids are really impressed or excited by something (like this) there's a much better chance of them opening up and telling you about their lives. Don't preach, don't gasp, just listen.

2. Teach your kids to stand tall


One of the most important things a father needs to teach his kids is how to stand up for themselves. You will not get far in this world if you become a doormat, and the longer you let it happen, the harder it is to turn it around. This can be anything from just learning how to speak up in class, or confronting someone who's being unfair to them. Our offspring need to be heard, defend what they believe in, and not be bullied. Yes, we want them to be nice and to treat people well, but there is also a time to be assertive instead of like a punching bag. Teaching them how to do all this in a scary world is one of the basic duties of being a father.

3. Get off your rear

While we may be proud of our lecturing skills, most of the time when we talk all our kids hear is, "Blah, blah, blah." So that makes our actions even more important. You can tell the kids that it's important to be healthy and active, but if all they ever see you do is sit on the couch shoveling Doritos into your mouth as you watch "Celebrity Rehab," they're going to do the exact same thing. Kids should always be learning, exploring and trying new things. It's all part of how they find out what they're passionate about and who they are.
Dads can help fuel this exploration by doing the same thing; getting involved in new sports, musical instruments, and activities. This keeps dads fresh and active, and also shows kids that it's cool to try new things. Want to crank up the enthusiasm? Get junior's buddy and his dad in the game too -- kids will do almost anything if their friends are involved. If you want to start golfing, make it a foursome and it'll be even more fun.

4. Prepare for your death

This should be something that I shouldn't even have to write, but it's amazing how many men skip this to save a buck. We can all sit here and think that it's not going to happen to us, but death happens to dads every day. Protecting your family should be number-one on your responsibilities list as a father. If you're not taking care of your family you run the risk of ruining their lives if the worst should happen. This encompasses a lot, including having a life insurance policy and a will, and knowing who's going to be there to teach your son about being a man. Another aspect of this is keeping yourself healthy with regular physicals and, for God's sake, exercise. I used to work out to look better, but now it's all about longevity. My ultimate goal is to live long enough to make sure my daughter doesn't marry some jackass. They don't say "hope for the best and prepare for the worst" for nothing.

5. No worshipping heroes

There are parents out there who absolutely worship their kids and think they can do no wrong. But those kids will grow up with a distorted view of how the world works. Every parent should love the hell out of their children, but thinking that they are flawless is setting all of you up for disaster. The kids end up with unreal expectations on how the world works, don't understand defeat, and can't figure out why everyone doesn't think they walk on water. And the parents end up devastated when you finally come to the realization that little Tony actually is capable of throwing his classmate into the girls' bathroom or stealing the neighbor's mail. We all have flaws, and there's nothing wrong with that. Let them learn to deal with the disappointment of losing, and even the brilliance of constructive criticism. It'll prepare them for the real world.

6. Remember why you married her

I've said this before, but a lot of people still scratch their head when I do. One of the best (if not the best) things you can do for your kids is to be a good husband to their mother. This can be difficult to do, but it just might be the most important item on the list. We pay so much attention to not screwing up our kids that we sometimes neglect the one relationship that plays the biggest role in the person they turn out to be. And if you're divorced, remember that the way you treat their mother will have an enormous impact. It will help them respect her, and also show them how to deal with challenging relationships as they get older.

7. Imitate Clark W. Griswold

Clark was on to something when he loaded up the family truckster and headed west to Wally World. A couple times a year, we all need to bust out of that rut that our daily routine puts us in -- and getting out of Dodge is the only cure. It's not just us either; every member of the family needs to get away and put a little adventure back in their life. As painful as the family vacation can be while it's happening (with the constant potty breaks, spilled juice boxes, and annoying comments from the backseat), I run into more adults who claim that vacations were the parts about their childhood that they'll never forget. It doesn't have to be expensive -- you don't have to go far -- you just need to have a family experience to remember, for better or worse.

Nov 23, 2010

The True Thanksgiving

Standing in the office of our elementary school, I was surprised to see a posting of George Washington's first Thanksgiving Day proclamation. As a representative of the National Government, the entire speech was a tribute to a day of offering Thanks to our Creator and God. How distorted the day has become in 250 years.

This historic proclamation was issued by George Washington during his first year as President. It sets aside Thursday, November 26 as "A Day of Publick Thanksgiving and Prayer."

Signed by Washington on October 3, 1789 and entitled "General Thanksgiving," the decree appointed the day "to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God."

While there were Thanksgiving observances in America both before and after Washington's proclamation, this represents the first to be so designated by the new national government.

After their first harvest, the colonists of the Plymouth Plantation held a celebration of food and feasting in the fall of 1621. Indian chiefs Massassoit, Squanto and Samoset joined in the celebration with ninety of their men in the three-day event.

The first recorded Thanksgiving observance was held on June 29, 1671 at Charlestown, Massachusetts by proclamation of the town's governing council.

During the 1700s, it was common practice for individual colonies to observe days of thanksgiving throughout each year. A Thanksgiving Day two hundred years ago was a day set aside for prayer and fasting, not a day marked by plentiful food and drink as is today's custom. Later in the 18th century each of the states periodically would designate a day of thanksgiving in honor of a military victory, an adoption of a state constitution or an exceptionally bountiful crop.

Such a Thanksgiving Day celebration celebration was held in December of 1777 by the colonies nationwide, commemorating the surrender of British General Burgoyne at Saratoga.

Later, on October 3, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation calling for the observance of the fourth Tuesday of November as a national holiday.

In 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt moved the holiday to the third Thursday of November (to extend the Christmas shopping season and boost the economy). After a storm of protest, Roosevelt changed the holiday again in 1941 to the fourth Thursday in November, where it stands today.

Proclamation of National Thanksgiving

George Washington

City of New York, October 3, 1789

Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor, and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me "to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness."

Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be. That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks, for his kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation, for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his providence, which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war, for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed, for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted, for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed; and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions, to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually, to render our national government a blessing to all the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed, to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shown kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord. To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the encrease of science among them and Us, and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.

Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.

Go: Washington

Nov 10, 2010

TEDTalks Temple Grandin & Autism

Phenomenal movie with Claire Danes. We saw the movie first, then Matt downloaded this TEDtalks w/Temple last night. Claire nailed her performance of this autistic woman perfectly. It's amazing! Temple, born in the late 50's, diagnosed at 4, was never expected to talk. Back then, they thought autism was a sign of lack ...of affection from the mother. Her mother, a loving & educated parent, did not give up on her. Temple is incredibly intelligent. She feels children w/all spectrum of Autism are not being paid enough attention to today in their abilities. Great video. Amazing woman.

Oct 13, 2010

The capsule arrives

And the capsule as it arrives into the cave. Think about this. The capsule, being pulled/pushed through 1/2 mile of rock. Think about being in that capsule, moving through the narrow chute of earth for 14 minutes. How amazing!

2nd Miner laughs his way to the top

The first brought tears, this one deep laughter. What a great moment :) LOVE the rocks, exactly what I would do! So great to have kept such good levity. 33 miners, 600 s/f of space. And you thought your home was small! :P

First Miner makes his way up 1/2 mile

How could I not be a conduit of this video. We don't watch TV and I rarely see the news. I didn't even know the miners were down there for 69 days. You think your little life difficulty is a doozy? Can you imagine being trapped for 69 days, not sure if you'll see your family again - the family, this little son, not sure if he'll see his father again? The tears of the boy hit me. Great great great story of human perseverance - the emotion on the engineer, for people he may/may not have known (I don't know) that are living because of his ability to build something to get them out & home. Fabulous.

Oct 1, 2010

MSNBC: Save money on groceries

Wow, we are doing several things right! And my grocery list is NOT on a post it note :) How to save money on your groceries. When you have 5 kids and 1.5 income, you figure this stuff out REAL quick!


Sep 20, 2010

Butterfly Kisses

Still chokes me up, just like it did when it was first released by Bob Carlisle. Especially since Kayla has now reached 16 and McKenna is fast approaching the end of High School and the start of her own adult life. I can't even believe it or fathom a wedding dress.

There's two things I know for sure
She was sent here from heaven and she's my little girl
As I drop to my knees by her bed at night
She talks to Jesus and I close my eyes
And I thank God for all of the joy in my life
Oh, but most of all for..

Butterfly kisses after bedtime prayer
Stickin' little white flowers all up in her hair
"Walk beside the pony mom, it's my first ride
I know the cake looks funny but I sure tried"
Oh, with all that I've done wrong, I must have done something right
To deserve a hug every morning and butterfly kisses at night

Sweet sixteen today
And she's lookin' like her mamma a little more every day
One part woman, the other part girl
To perfume and make-up, from ribbons and curls
Trying her wings out in a great big world
But I remember...

Butterfly kisses after bedtime prayer
Stickin' little white flowers all up in her hair
You know how much I love you mom
But if you don't mind I'm only gonna kiss you on the cheek this time
Oh, with all that I've done wrong, I must have done something right
To deserve her love every morning and butterfly kisses at night

Oh the precious times
Oh, like the wind the years go by
Precious butterfly
Spread your wings and fly

She'll change her name today
and she'll make a promise and I'll give her away
Standing in the bride room just staring at her
She asked me what I'm thinking and I said "I'm not sure,
I just feel like I'm losing my baby girl"
And she leaned over...and gave me...

Butterfly kisses with her family there
Stickin' little white flowers all up in her hair
"Walk me down the aisle Daddy, it's just about time
Does my wedding gown look pretty? Daddy don't cry"
Oh, with all that I've done wrong, I must have done something right
To deserve her love every morning and butterfly kisses

I couldn't ask God for more
Man, this is what love is
I know I've gotta let her go, but I'll always remember
Every hug in the morning and butterfly kisses

Sep 14, 2010

What is 20 minutes? A life - Part 2

Today on 105.3 Spirit the announcer shared this story - get a hanky.

"A couple were expecting twins. The mom went into labor at 27 weeks. The babies were delivered and they were told their son did not make it. He was declared dead at birth. The mom asked if she could hold her son before they took him away. The nurses laid him on her chest and she hugged him tightly. A few minutes later, mom & dad noticed his body was moving. They wrote it off to post death muscular twitches. A few minutes later, his eyes opened. They were thankful to be blessed to see his eyes before his final passing. He never closed his eyes and is 5 months old today. The doctors could give no medical explanation for what happened when the baby did not breath for 20 minutes after his birth and was technically dead. The hug from his mother, the hearing of her heartbeat, the touch of her skin and God's amazing Grace, were enough to bring his little body & heart to life."

Siblings: Parenthood

Eldest daughter the caretaker. 2nd child the fixer. 3rd child (baby?) - spoiled! :)

"Your kids are not all the same. You cannot raise them exactly the same, you must raise them as individuals"

"My sister & I, like chocolate and vanilla. Not the same at all."

Having Teens...by Parenthood

"No one told me how much children would eat!"
"Life before was a lot more free..and less expensive!"
"Raising a step daughter wasn't what I expected parenthood to be. There are 4 parents involved, not the same."
"You can't control everything, some you can, a lot you can't"
"Teens get to a point that they think they (themselves) are pretty great, they know everything and their parents are...idiots. Then they come back around and thing "wow, they (parents) are pretty great""


Your Kids Greatest Fan

What a great NBC Web Exclusive. Being your kids fan. I love it. And I am.

Sep 10, 2010

O'Bama's Press Conference

I think this actually is a great press conference. I liked what he had to say and he kept my interest. The presentation I felt was more genuine than the typical political speech. I found myself agreeing with him on several points. Enjoy.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

"More Like Falling"

Today's song of the day was going to be from the Scorpions. They filtered through my pod during my run yesterday and I thought "good old rock n roll". I still will put it as a song of the day, but not today.

Instead, this new song played on the radio this morning and is exactly what I feel inside and who I am. In line with a conversation I had last weekend with my father, about serving the church versus serving The Lord, God Almighty. It is not always the same thing. And often the rules & regulations of religion interfere with the foundation - a relationship. I love this song because my faith is about the LOVE that pumps through my very soul, the very depths of my being for my creator who has made Himself known to me. Not about how many times my butt is planted in the church seat but how I'm caring for my family & the gifts He's chosen to bestow upon me and my life. Do I pray on a regular schedule, head bowed, eyes closed? No but I talk to Him constantly throughout the day. And He answers. Oh yes He does. And when I steer away, He's been there to gently remind me where I should be going. Love is the answer and the key.

Give me rules
I will break them
Give me lines
I will cross them
I need more than a truth to believe
I need a truth that lives, moves, and breathes
To sweep me off my feet
It ought to be

More like falling in love
Than something to believe in
More like losing my heart
Than giving my allegiance
Caught up, called out
Come take a look at me now
It's like I'm falling, oh
It's like I'm falling in love

Give me words
I'll misuse them
Obligations
I'll misplace them
'Cause all religion ever made of me
Was just a sinner with a stone tied to my feet
It never set me free
It's gotta be

CHORUS

...It's like I'm falling in love, love, love
Deeper and deeper
It was love that made
Me a believer
In more than a name, a faith, a creed
Falling in love with Jesus brought the change in me

Here's a link to a video of him doing the song (not performance, just him & his guitar)

http://www.onlylyrics.com/hits.php?grid=11&id=1040483

Sep 2, 2010

Stephen Hawkings: God didn't create the Universe

A little lunchtime news....(Pete, I await your rebuttal - please post to comments)

LONDON, England (CNN) -- God did not create the universe, world-famous physicist Stephen Hawking argues in a new book that aims to banish a divine creator from physics.

Hawking says in his book "The Grand Design" that, given the existence of gravity, "the universe can and will create itself from nothing," according to an excerpt published Thursday in The Times of London.

"Spontaneous creation is the reason why there is something rather than nothing, why the universe exists, why we exist," he writes in the excerpt.

"It is not necessary to invoke God to light the blue touch paper [fuse] and set the universe going," he writes.

His book -- as the title suggests -- is an attempt to answer "the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything," he writes, quoting Douglas Adams' cult science fiction romp, "The Hitch-hiker's Guide to the Galaxy."
It is not necessary to invoke God to light the blue touch paper [fuse] and set the universe going.
--Stephen Hawking
RELATED TOPICS

* Stephen Hawking

His answer is "M-theory," which, he says, posits 11 space-time dimensions, "vibrating strings, ... point particles, two-dimensional membranes, three-dimensional blobs and other objects that are more difficult to picture and occupy even more dimensions of space." He doesn't explain much of that in the excerpt, which is the introduction to the book.

But he says he understands the feeling of the great English scientist Isaac Newton that God did "create" and "conserve" order in the universe.

It was the discovery of other solar systems outside our own, in 1992, that undercut a key idea of Newton's -- that our world was so uniquely designed to be comfortable for human life that some divine creator must have been responsible.

But, Hawking argues, if there are untold numbers of planets in the galaxy, it's less remarkable that there's one with conditions for human life.

And, indeed, he argues, any form of intelligent life that evolves anywhere will automatically find that it lives somewhere suitable for it.

From there he introduces the idea of multiple universes, saying that if there are many universes, one will have laws of physics like ours -- and in such a universe, something not only can, but must, arise from nothing.

Therefore, he concludes, there's no need for God to explain it.

But some of Hawking's Cambridge colleagues said the physicist has missed the point.

"The 'god' that Stephen Hawking is trying to debunk is not the creator God of the Abrahamic faiths who really is the ultimate explanation for why there is something rather than nothing," said Denis Alexander.

"Hawking's god is a god-of-the-gaps used to plug present gaps in our scientific knowledge.

"Science provides us with a wonderful narrative as to how [existence] may happen, but theology addresses the meaning of the narrative," said Alexander, director of The Faraday Institute for Science and Religion.

And Fraser Watts, an Anglican priest and Cambridge expert in the history of science, said that it's not the existence of the universe that proves the existence of God.

But, he said, "a creator God provides a reasonable and credible explanation of why there is a universe, and ... it is somewhat more likely that there is a God than that there is not. That view is not undermined by what Hawking has said."

Hawking's book will be published on September 7 in the United States and September 9 in the United Kingdom.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/09/02/hawking.god.universe/index.html?eref=mrss_igoogle_cnn

Aug 27, 2010

Honors & Awards

Honors and Awards:

I know this isn't what this section is for but if I ask myself, what honors have you attained? Working outside the home while being a mother to 5 incredible children and receiving their respect and love and mother "awards" plastered all over my house - that is an honor worth mentioning.

Aug 20, 2010

Could this be the first day of training?

I haven't ran in weeks. About a month ago, my first day in training for a half, my lower back, hip joints deserted me. In pain I scratched my way off the floor of my bedroom, on to the bed. An entire week I couldn't walk without hobbling.

Since then, it's as if nature has been trying to slow me down. I don't do anything the easy way. I've been running for years to lose weight, to push myself - dragging my shoes over a year instead of replacing them every 3-5 months. Running in the morning and at night. Traumatizing my body.

Once my lower back & hips stopped hurting, I've tried several times to get out for a quick 3 mile run. To no avail. Without fail something has come up to keep me from going or to make it only in to a walk. Yesterday, bound & determined to get a walk in, I reverted to how I originally started running - taking my clothes with me to work and getting it in during my lunch hour. Right as I left my desk, my daughter called from out of state with a serious need to talk. What I thought would be a kick in the butt to get back out there, turned into a 45 minute walk, laughing and encouraging the love of my life (okay, one of the 6 loves in my life). Later I forced my husband into another 45 minute walk with me so I could feel like I got enough to equate to a 45 minute RUN.

After losing 90 lbs, I stopped running in late 2008, picked it up again last year, only to have my knees turn against me.

I really want to run a half! I missed the 2010 Seattle Rock N Roll Marathon this year.

So over the past month, since my hip & tailbone rebellion, I've turned to reading about marathon running and training. (See, previously I really thought maybe I could do this without much prep...) Since my sister in law sent me the video of RLAM and I discovered their site. I ordered from our library "The NON runners guide to marathon training for women" and have read a chapter or more each night, laughing the entire time. (Sorry RLAM, they don't have your book in yet but when they do, I'm first in line!) And feeling vindicated, validated for all the flippin' body pain I've endured over the years. The countless massages I've asked my wonderful husband to give when I couldn't breath, turn over, walk the stairs, get out of the car, stand up or sit down.

Today. I made it out there. Gloriously sunny, partly cloudy sky. iPod fully charged, 4000 songs to choose from & I put it on shuffle. Sometimes that's a curse when 2 slow songs, God forbid 3 slow songs, come up when you're in the middle of a quicker stride. (no, I haven't created a running playlist yet... that would take time, which I don't have!). My shuffled songs today played right along with the speed I was running. The second song to play was rockin' Third Day's "Slow Down". I chuckled because it was a "speed it up" song about slowing down your life. No way, not today. I felt inspired. Played imaginary drums as I ran. Almost started crying as a moment passed over me with a really good song and my really used tennis shoes scooted me over the pavement.

My husband text me in the middle of my run. "Hey Beautiful, how's your day going?" My response "Totally friken' good run!" (yes, I used the slang...sorry kids, my bad)

My goal was 45 minutes. 3 miles. I had to stop twice to walk a minute or two and tried not to be disappointed when I looked at my watch. 50 minutes. Shrug. Look at it again. No way! 40 minutes! Right on!

Roger Clemens vs. Bill Clinton

So let me get this straight. Bill Clinton is impeached but not forced to leave office for lying to Congress as President of our country - yet Roger Clemens is indicted & could go to jail for the same exact thing. I mean, lying is lying right? Regardless of whether it's about sexual escapades as President or steroids as an athlete. I vote to give Clemens the same treatment - impeachment with no punishment.

Here's a news line:

"Do we really need a judge and jury to tell us that... is guilty of being a liar, a cheater, and genuine sleaze ball?" (Mike Kline)

Which one are we talking about? A government official or an athlete?

Please. Those that lead our country should be held to the same height of expectation and reputation, if not MORE as we hold our athletes too. I guess when the vice president is dropping the F bomb on TV, the President is romping around with his interns even though he's married (wait this is not new) - lying to congress and the nation & allowed to walk away - our expectations as a nation have gotten pretty slim. Why then do we hold normal citizens, just making a living at what they do best, to higher standards? Let him go. Let them all use steroids. Stop using our tax dollars in an already near bankrupt country to pursue this guy. It's the new way. Tolerance of everything imaginable without judgment. Poor Clinton, what choice did he have? Give a guy a break, right?

Well Clemens, needs that paycheck and needs to be on top of his game. He's got a family to support, probably a wife (did I read ex wife now?). Give a guy a break!

Do I support breaking the law, hindering a legal investigation, federal or otherwise? Hell no. But it ticks me off to watch our government hold our citizens to a standard they don't hold themselves to, while they are the ones SWORN to uphold the laws of this country themselves. So probably as soon as Clinton gets his time in a cell next to Clemens, I'll support the country paying to penalize this poor poor citizen.

And give him The Hall of Fame. Clinton got his own.

Aug 19, 2010

The Masks Men Wear (TAOM)

Anyone who has dressed up for Halloween knows the transforming effect donning a costume can have, and how exponentially stronger this effect is when it involves wearing a full mask. You feel mischievously free- free of self-consciousness, free to get in character and be someone or something else, free to get a little crazier than you normally would. There is a power in the donning of a mask and for thousands of years, tapping into this power was an essential part of the male experience. Putting on physical masks allowed men to drop the social, psychological “masks” they wore each day and express the more hidden sides of themselves. Now, with the tradition of physical masking having all but disappeared in civilized society, the false veneers of social masks have become permanently glued to the faces of many modern men.

Since prehistoric times and all across the world, making and wearing masks has been almost exclusively the domain of men. Men donned masks for many of the rituals and celebrations that marked a tribe’s most important celebrations and transitions. Men wore masks during rites-of-passage, to ensure a bountiful hunt and harvest, to escort recently deceased spirits into the afterlife, and to mark times of renewal like the new year.

Masks helped primitive tribes deal with change and danger. Transitions and crises could threaten the unity of the tribe. The unchanging face of the mask was a symbol of stability and continuity, and the masquerades were thus used to convey meaning, purpose, and structure during these shifts.

And of course, masks were and are not simply for symbolic use. They also serve as straightforward, functional headgear designed to protect the face. Ancient warriors like the samurai and medieval knights donned headgear and masks not only to protect their mugs, but to intimidate the enemy. Functional masks are the only type of mask to still enjoy widespread use today. From the helmets of football players and motorcycle riders to the masks of hockey goalies and doctors, these masks protect the face while also serving to get the wearer “in the zone.”

Of Masks and Men

Masking’s masculine nature likely arose from its ancient connection to the hunt. Males also often dominated the spiritual life of the tribe, and donning a mask was believed to allow a man to transform himself into the spirit or deity the mask represented.
But masking served a deeper purpose for the male psyche as well. Men have always had to put on a psychological or social mask-a front to hide weakness from their rivals and adhere to a culture’s standard of flinty manliness.
Researchers who study primates, like baboons, have learned never to tranquilize a male in front of his rivals. Once the male goes down, his competitors see the opportunity to pounce on him and will viciously attack the helpless baboon. No such problem exists when researchers tranquilize female primates. One can see then why male primates that are sick or injured will put on displays of vitality and vigor when their rival is around, only to go back to licking their wounds when once again by themselves. Biologists theorize that perhaps our human ancestors dealt with same issue-they couldn’t appear vulnerable or their rivals would see an opening, an opportunity. So our male ancestors learned to hide weakness and act tough. But constantly putting up this front can be psychologically taxing.
By donning a physical mask, the men of old could drop the false facade and feel free to express the more hidden aspects of themselves. Masks were a way to connect with the wild man we’ve been talking about recently, to let loose without feeling fearful or self-conscious. Masks were avenues of transformation and self-discovery for men. They were empowering, allowing men to act out the drama of nature, spirit, and desire in a controlled environment.
The Social Masks of Modern Men
The male tradition of wearing physical masks has almost entirely disappeared in the developed world, with the exception of things like Halloween, Mardi Gras, and Carnival.
But the pressure for men to wear a social “mask” has not vanished. We are still generally expected to hide our weaknesses, on penalty of being labeled a sissy. We also sometimes wear masks of cynicism, coolness, aloofness, or of just generally being people we are not.
The tribal rituals of past times allowed men to drop these false social masks by donning a real mask. Without these reprieves, false social masks can become molded to our faces and become permanent parts of ourselves.
It is not that social masks do not have a healthy role to play in our lives. In Masks: Faces of Culture, the authors describe the transforming effect donning armor and a mask had on the warrior:
“fortified and impenetrable, he appeared ominous, daunting, and invincible, prepared to conquer the world. He exuded a look of rationality, domination, and control, totally disengaged from nature.”
Don’t we all want to feel and look like that from time to time?
Sometimes we need to be the rock of strength for those around us, even when we’re struggling ourselves. When you’re striding up to ask a girl out or sitting in a job interview, wearing a mask of self-assurance can help you come off better than your “normal” self. Putting on a social mask of certainty and strength gives confidence to those around you and makes you feel confident yourself. We see this when athletes put on their “game face,” or when a high-powered salesman takes on a different persona to make the hard sale.
The problem, however, is that some men keep wearing their mask even when the game is over.

The Temptation of the Social Mask


Ancient warriors wore masks as part of their defense-to protect themselves from the blows of their enemies as they defended their territory. Modern men wear the false social mask for a very similar reason-to shield themselves from being wounded by others, to protect their emotional territory from invasion and assault. They use the social mask to intimidate, mystify, and prevent others from getting too close. Their mask keeps others asking,“Who is this person? Does he mean me harm or good?”
But constantly donning a false mask is a cowardly way to deal with your fears. Instead of confronting them directly, you wall them off inside your true self, while allowing your alter ego to navigate the world. The mask acts as the buffer between you and others. This way people don’t insult or reject you, they don’t let you down, they simply deal with your false front while you’re hiding in the back. People can’t touch the real you. The mask puts distance between you and the world and allows you to spurn personal responsibility for your actions. Masks embolden people to do things they wouldn’t normally do-for good and ill. “It wasn’t me being a d-bag, that was The Situation!”

As discussed, the occasional use of a social mask can be healthy. But many men start to use it as a crutch and can’t take it off. Like Jim Carrey’s character in The Mask or the Green Goblin, the power of the mask becomes addicting. It’s easy to put on a mask to transform into someone else, but it’s harder to change who we really are. The mask becomes the source of our power and confidence instead of that power coming from within.

The problem with constantly putting on a false front is that the relationships we make while wearing it are inevitably inauthentic. People interact with your alter ego instead of the real you. Mad Men’s Don Draper is a perfect example of this. He tries to keep up a front of cool control and invulnerability in his relationships. His associate Harry Crane remarks, “Draper? Who knows anything about that guy? No one’s ever lifted that rock. He could be Batman for all we know.” The problem is not only that nobody knows Don, but that in pretending to be someone else (quite literally here) he doesn’t know himself either. He wants to change, but his real self and his false persona are so disconnected he doesn’t know how.

Taking Off the False Mask

Masks can both conceal and reveal. A mask can allow us to express a part of ourselves we would normally be too self-conscious to display. But they can also be a means of deceiving others and ourselves. The constant need to hide our true selves can be psychologically exhausting and takes its toll on our psyche and our relationships.
This is doesn’t mean we should be an entirely open book. Some men, spurning any kind of social mask, go in another extreme, what is often termed, “the overshare.” They spill their guts and emotions to anyone who shows them the least bit of attention. A man should always operate with a healthy sense of sprezzatura.
But we should be careful not to let the social mask so mold to our faces that we can’t take it off. We may no longer have the opportunity to drop our social masks by donning physical masks, but we can cultivate friendships and relationships that allow us to drop the pretense and be ourselves. These kinds of close relationships provide pockets of relief and sanity; they allow us to be open and vulnerable and are absolutely essential to our mental health and happiness. And we can work on cultivating our inner values; pride, confidence, and strength don’t come from a mask, they come from within.


Source: Masks: Faces of Culture

http://artofmanliness.com/2010/08/08/the-masks-men-wear/?utm_source=Daily+Subscribers&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=cab1571d4c-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN

Aug 18, 2010

Afghanistan fallen return to families (MSN)

How could I not share this news story -

In the summer twilight, a crowd gathers on a baseball diamond in Seattle, candles in hand, to remember a sailor who not long ago ran this dusty path.

In a California church, a young widow reunites with friends she saw just nine months ago at her wedding — this time, though, they've come to bid farewell to her soldier-husband.

And in a Tennessee high school, a family friend remembers the eager boy who grew up counting the days until he could don an Army uniform.

Day after day, the war in Afghanistan comes home.

The ritual has grown agonizingly familiar: The transfer of the fallen at Dover Air Force Base, then the journey to a final resting place. Some families have mourned privately; others have found comfort in the public embrace of their neighbors. In Burnet, Texas, in Owensville, Ohio, in Jacksonville, Ill., townsfolk have lined the streets in respectful silence to honor the return of the departed.

Last month, the nation marked a milestone in Afghanistan: The loss of 66 U.S. troops made July the deadliest month in the nearly 9-year-old war. Many were killed by roadside bombs.

That spike in violence stirred new debate about the war — but for 66 families, it was no time for punditry or political debate.

Instead, it was time for an Arkansas father to celebrate his 20-year-old son, finding some comfort, he said, in the knowledge that "God had other plans." Time for friends of a Minnesota graduate of West Point to recall his favorite words from Thornton Wilder: "Goodbye, world!... Goodbye to clocks ticking ... and Mama's sunflowers — and food and coffee... and sleeping and waking up! — Oh, earth, you're too wonderful for anyone to realize you!"

Time, too, to reflect on dreams — a cross-country trip, a firefighting career, buying a plot of land — now sadly set aside.

More than 450 weeks have passed since the fighting in Afghanistan began.

This is how goodbye was said in one painful week in August.

'He brought joy and laughter'
The candles flickered as the sun was setting in a west Seattle baseball park one recent Tuesday as 200 people crowded around the infield to honor 25-year-old Jarod Newlove, killed with a second sailor after they disappeared miles from their base in a dangerous area of Afghanistan known to be a Taliban stronghold.

The mourners stood on the spot where Newlove had played second base for the Chief Sealth International High School Seahawks. And they signed two memorial banners. "You're home safe now J," one person scrawled.

After the tributes, some who knew Newlove best reminisced.

They remembered Jarod, the 140-pound wrestler who sometimes skipped practice to woo another student, Kim, who became his wife. The jokester whose grades sagged, then rebounded. The young man who needed tough love but found his way and "became a man" in the Navy, said Dave Rosario, his wrestling coach.

Newlove's best friend, Garrett Rochon, met Jarod in sixth grade. They became inseparable as teens, joined the Navy, became young fathers (he's godfather to Newlove's daughter) and took their families to the zoo in San Diego when stationed there.

"He loved his family and my family, like they were his own," Rochon said. "Whoever he connected with, he brought joy and laughter."

Rochon's wife, Tabatha, can't help but think of Newlove's year-old son and 3-year-old daughter. "They don't have a chance to know who he really was," she said.

'He was — IS — my soul mate'
On this same night, there was another gathering in a California home. Friends and family of Staff Sgt. Kyle Warren shared stories about the 28-year-old member of the Army's Special Forces, a red-bearded bear of a man — 6'4" and 250 pounds, size 14 shoe and a lust for life that matched his size.

He loved sports. He played baseball, soccer, football and rugby, excelling at all. He was a fierce competitor, whether it was on the line of scrimmage or in front of a Monopoly board (one Army pal recalled he wasn't happy unless he was the banker).

He adored dogs, too, and jokingly sparred with his wife, Sandra, about letting their golden retriever, Cincinnati, sleep with them on their white sheets.

Warren's ebullience, though, sometimes sidetracked him. His father joked he was on "the seven-year plan" at Northern Arizona University and cut off his share of tuition payments after two years. Warren dropped out and moved to Manchester, N.H., to join his mother. He met Sandra there and they dated for six years.

But Warren pursued her with the same passion that guided everything he did.

"I had my doubts," Sandra recalled in a phone interview, noting long stretches when he was away in training or deployed. "But he was always the one who said, 'No, this is it. We're meant for each other.' I felt protected with him. That was the sense that I got from him and when he hugged me, I felt like nothing in the world could ever hurt me."

They wed last November with a reception in a New Hampshire vineyard.

"We wanted to make sure that we had the bond ... and that's why this is so difficult for me because he was — IS — my soul mate. I know it's easy to say, but it's true," she said. "Yes, we had our fights and arguments, but at the end of the day, we loved each other and that's all that mattered."

Army medic was on second Afghanistan tour
Warren's death from a bomb came just two weeks into his second tour in Afghanistan.

In his first deployment, Warren, a medic, helped host a weekly health clinic for villagers. Once when two little boys were badly injured by a roadside bomb, he stabilized them and made sure they were evacuated to a hospital. Both survived.

Warren planned to enter the fire academy when he returned. Now Sandra thinks of all that will never be.

"I feel robbed of my life, of our life, all the plans that we had, the family that we wanted," she said. "Everything has been taken."

Days after the family gathering, Warren's funeral was held at the church in Redondo Beach, Calif., where he was baptized. A friend read some words on behalf of Del Warren, the sergeant's father.

"Kyle was smart, handsome, funny and so generous and loving," he said of his only child. "Whatever he had or whatever he knew, he would gladly share it with anyone who asked. ... I thought my son was invincible. I was wrong. I have a wound that will never heal."

Warren was buried near his beloved grandfather, "Papa Pete." He had made that request in his will.

Family members placed single, white long-stemmed roses on the casket before it was lowered into the ground.

Small town, big loss
Yellow roses awaited the return of Capt. Jason Holbrook.

On a blistering Friday afternoon, hundreds of folks from the Burnet, Texas, area stood along the highway, holding flowers with red-white-and-blue streamers and small American flags provided by the local grocery. They watched the county sheriff lead a somber procession from the airport to the funeral home.

Holbrook, a West Point grad and member of the Army's Special Forces, was killed with Kyle Warren. He, too, was 28.

Charles Goble, a family friend, helped organize the tribute. Burnet is a small town, too small for six degrees of separation. People here are closer than that. Goble's father and Holbrook's father were in the same VFW and American Legion chapters; his stepdaughter was Holbrook's classmate.

Goble remembers a quiet young man who loved to fish but who also had bursts of spontaneity — such as the time on a school bus when he suddenly started singing "I'm Henery the Eighth, I Am."

"He would just do funny, outrageous things," Goble said.

And yet, he was mature, even as a boy. "He was the kind of kid who even at an early age, he could tell when something needed to be done without someone telling him," Goble said. "Jason was just exceptional."

All those memories sustained Goble as he stood on U.S. Highway 281, watching Holbrook's casket approach in a white hearse. "When I saw his father and mother drive by, that's when I lost it," he said.

Third-generation Marine
That same day, nearly 1,400 miles away in Williamsport, Pa., they said farewell to Lance Cpl. Abram LaRue Howard.

About 1,000 mourners filled St. Joseph the Worker Parish Annunciation Church; another 500 watched on video from a chapel next door as the 21-year-old Marine was eulogized.

"He took friends under his wing during their trying times and helped them through their tough situations," said Christopher Bain, a family friend and injured Iraq war vet who read a eulogy written by Joseph Dincher, Howard's uncle. "So many times we heard how Abe was there from the beginning to the end. Never judging a person on the mistakes they made, but helping them through their situation and leading them in a better direction."

Howard was on patrol with Afghan police trainees when he left his vehicle after hearing reports of Taliban activity in the area. He was hit by a roadside bomb, according to family. His father, Bart, had helped his son buy top-of-the-line body armor, but Howard was apparently struck in an unprotected area of the upper torso.

Days before, thousands had paid their respects in a nine-hour viewing at Howard's high school, filing past his open casket on the stage where he'd played bass guitar for the school orchestra not long ago. His battered football helmet and No. 50 jersey were on display, too.

Howard was not just a musician and athlete. He was a hunter, a poet, a Roman Catholic who led his platoon in reading Scripture before and after patrol.

And, just liked his father, uncle and grandfather before him, a Marine.

Soldier 'always dreamed about being in the Army'
In Ohio, yellow ribbons tied around light poles marked the path home for Army Spc. Joseph Bauer.

On a Saturday afternoon, Bauer's widow, Misty, stood in a Cincinnati funeral home next to a display of photos, several featuring her husband in a Cincinnati Bengals jersey; another in a prized Ken Griffey Jr. Reds' jersey in Army camouflage pattern.

Bauer, 27, was deployed to Afghanistan last October. His barracks were decorated with Bengals paraphernalia but it was hard to follow his favorite team as they made their push into NFL playoffs. When he was in remote areas and had limited time to talk, Misty recalled, he'd say two things: "I love you" and "Tell me the Bengals' score!"

Bauer had recently reenlisted. He planned to make the Army his career.

He was part of an extended family that includes five brothers and two sisters, four half-sisters, a half brother, a stepsister and a stepbrother.

"He loved his family," Misty said.

Michael Stansbery was a family man, too, a homebody who liked nothing more than being with his sister and parents.

The third generation to wear a uniform, Stansbery had declared his intentions long ago — in first-grade, to be precise. He'd written a letter that said: "I will be in the Army, I will go to battle and have a bunch of men with me to help. I will go to the ocean and save someone from trouble."

Those words were read at his memorial service.

"Mike ... always dreamed about being in the Army," said family friend John Jankowich, who noted Stansbery had reenlisted after a tour in Iraq, expecting to be redeployed. "He couldn't wait to go. ... He never talked about being afraid. He said he was where he was supposed to be. He didn't sugarcoat things, but he didn't complain."

'He loved the team'
On a recent Sunday, Jankowich joined hundreds in the gym of Wilson Central High School in Lebanon, Tenn. — the place Stansbery had wrestled and practiced drills as a member of the Junior ROTC. They watched a slide show spanning Michael's 21 years, from a photo of him as a baby in his father's arms to one as a young soldier, helmet on, smiling, thumbs up.

Bryan White, his head wrestling coach, remembered a dedicated kid who wasn't the greatest on the mats, but compensated by being a great teammate and fundraiser who gave his all.

"That's why he was one of the best wrestlers I ever had," he said. "He loved the team; he loved belonging to the team."

Sgt. Chris Mauro, who'd worked with Stansbery at Fort Carson, Colo., recalled his ability to juggle the serious, his soldier's duties, with the frivolous, his fascination with anime, or Japanese animation.

"There were times I would go up and do barracks checks to see how he was doing," Mauro said. "He'd be playing 'Final Fantasy' on one TV, watching cartoons on another and had his training manual in his lap. He would do all that at the same time."

From South Africa to the U.S. Marines
Shane Martin liked to joke he was so American he got married on July 4th.

In fact, it was just a coincidence. As was Sept. 11, 2007, the day he was sworn in as a Marine.

Martin, a native of South Africa, became a U.S. citizen in an unforgettable way: a naturalization ceremony at one of Saddam Hussein's palaces during his first tour in Iraq. He was killed on his second deployment, in Afghanistan.

And when he was laid to rest, Marine pallbearers escorted his casket into church while the choir sang "America the Beautiful."

Martin, a 23-year-old lance corporal, had started adult life on a different course. He loved to draw, using charcoal and oils. He was studying web design at the Art Institute of Houston when he shifted to the Marines.

It all made sense.

Martin, who moved to the United States at age 12, was a military history buff with a family legacy of service, said his aunt, Amanda Brock. "It wasn't that he wanted to go to war for war's sake ... but he did believe that, if needed, you were required to protect," she said.

'It's as if he had his own magnetic field'
Martin had recently resumed drawing and had asked that art supplies be mailed to him — though what he really loved were care packages stuffed with Oreos, onion rings, cinnamon buns and other junk food.

At his funeral, nearly 600 mourners at Prince of Peace Catholic Community church in Houston viewed photos of a young man with bright, blond hair and a wide, easy smile — as a boy at Disneyland on his first trip to America, as a groom feeding cake to his bride, Lauren, at their 2008 wedding, as a soldier in Iraq.

Martin was buried with pieces of rock from cherished places — his childhood home in Durban, South Africa; an annual vacation spot, Destin, Fla.; his family ranch and his wife's house in Texas. Each family member also wrote a letter.

His 14-year-old sister, Diane Wallace, spoke of his charisma.

"It's as if he had his own magnetic field — everybody wanted to be around him," she said from the pulpit.

Martin's 23-year-old widow, Lauren, talked of their eternal bond in her eulogy

"Shane was my greatest love and best friend. He IS my soul mate," she said, her eyes briefly tearing up, "and he was my protector."

Then turning her gaze to the casket, she said:

"I am forever proud to call you my husband and the wife of a U.S. Marine. I am so proud of you. I love you, handsome. Wait for me."

Solemn duty at Dover
Before dawn the following day, soldiers and Marines at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware performed a solemn duty.

In the inky darkness, they carried the latest casualties of the war in Afghanistan down the ramp of a transport plane.

In the first two weeks of August, 12 Americans troops have died.

Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38750893/ns/us_news-life

Aug 17, 2010

The Runner's Diet: Runners World

It seems almost impossible that runners could become overweight. All that running, all those calories burned along city streets and down park paths--it just doesn't seem right (or fair).

The problem is that we read about the performance-oriented nutritional habits of ultrathin elite runners (lots of carbo-loading and truckloads of energy bars, gels, and drinks), then assume that as recreational runners we should do the same. But we're not elite runners. We're average people who use running to manage our weight, increase our energy, and lead healthy lives.

Think about this scary fact: It takes only 100 extra calories a day to gain 10 pounds in a year. That's one high-calorie prerun snack that you didn't need. Or one unnecessary bottle of sports drink before a 30-minute walk. The extra weight many runners carry around is simply the result of eating for energy or performance--with little regard for total calories. But calories do count, and as runners we tend to underestimate the amount we eat and overestimate the amount we burn.

What you need to do is match your eating plan to your running habits. You need to know exactly when to eat those carbohydrate-rich foods that will give you the energy you need to run well.

You also need to know when to consume the lean proteins and heart-healthy fats that will keep you satiated while still losing weight. You need the Runner's Diet.

The Runner's Diet helps you determine the real number of calories you need to maintain or lose weight based on your current running schedule. It's a 50-25-25 eating plan, where 50 percent of your calories come from carbohydrates, 25 percent from protein, and 25 percent from fat. With half of your calorie intake coming from carbs, the diet provides you with plenty of readily available fuel for your runs. And with the rest of your calories split evenly between proteins and fats, you feel full longer, which is key to losing weight. The diet also focuses your carbohydrate intake around your runs and emphasizes the right proteins and fats for all other meals to optimize performance and weight loss. Finally, you'll have lots of choices when deciding what to eat. To start the Runner's Diet, follow this simple, six-step process.

Step 1
Determine Your Daily Calorie Goal

To estimate your daily calorie needs for maintaining your current weight, take your present weight and multiply by 13. That number covers your metabolic needs for the day, factoring in a bit of light activity. So if you weigh 180 pounds, you need about 2,340 calories per day. To lose a pound a week, you must then create a calorie deficit of 500 calories a day (3,500 calories equals one pound).

How many calories you can cut from your diet depends a lot on how much you're eating right now. There's a big difference between cutting 500 calories if you're eating 1,500 a day than if you're eating 3,000. But remember: Weight loss is a lot easier when you factor in your running mileage (1 mile = 100 calories). So your calorie deficit can--and should--be created by eliminating some calories from your daily diet and increasing the number you burn per day through running.
Step 2
Distributing Your Calories

After you've determined the total number of calories you should be consuming per day to meet your weight-loss goals, divide those calories so that 50 percent of them come from carbohydrates, 25 percent come from protein, and 25 percent come from fat. So, for example, if you've determined that your daily calorie goal is 1,800 calories, then 900 of those calories should come from carbohydrates, 450 from protein, and 450 from fat. Remember: You're not striving to have every food you eat meet this ratio. You're simply aiming to get your total daily calorie intake to fall within these guidelines.

Step 3
Selecting Carbohydrates

Lots of runners will look at the 50-percent carbohydrate guideline and think they'll go into macaroni withdrawal. They'll argue it's not enough--that they need 60 percent or more. After all, carbohydrates are the body's preferred energy source.

While it's true that elite runners need a very high percentage of calories from carbohydrates, recreational runners simply don't need as many carbs. Taking in 50 percent of your daily calories from carbohydrate sources will provide you with all the energy you need.

Because high-carb foods sustain you during your workouts, they are best eaten just before and just after your runs. When choosing which carbs to eat, opt for those that are fiber-rich and have a high water content to keep you feeling full.

Carbs to Choose Often

Fruits (about 60 calories per serving)
Apple, orange, pear, nectarine: 1 small (tennis ball size)
Banana: 1 small (5 inch)
Peach, plum: 1 medium (fist size)
Grapefruit: 1/2 whole fruit
Canteloupe: 1 cup
Berries: 1 cup
Fresh pineapple: 3/4 cup
Canned fruit (in its own juice): 1/2 cup

Low-Starch Vegetables (about 25 calories per serving)
Carrots, celery, cabbage, brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, eggplant, leeks, onions, green beans: 1 cup raw or 1/2 cup cooked
Green pepper: 1 whole
Asparagus: 7 spears cooked or 14 spears raw
Lettuce/raw greens: 1 cup 100-percent vegetable juice: 1/3 cup

Carbs to Choose with Caution (watch those portions!)

High-Starch Vegetables (about 80 calories per serving)
Beans (lima, navy, pinto): 1/3 cup
Corn: 1/2 cup
Peas/lentils: 1/2 cup
Baked white or sweet potato with skin: 1 small (tennis ball size)

Pasta/Rice (about 80 calories per serving)
Couscous (cooked): 1/3 cup
Brown or white rice (cooked): 1/3 cup
Noodles/pasta (cooked): 1/2 cup
Bulgur (cooked): 1/2 cup

Breads/Cereal/Crackers (about 80 calories per serving)
Tortilla (white or wheat): 1
100-percent whole-wheat bread: 1 slice
Mini-bagel: 1
English muffin: 1/2
Pretzels: 3/4 ounce or 8 sourdough nuggets
Popcorn (air popped): 3 cups
Saltine crackers: 6
Rice cakes (all varieties, large): 2
High-fiber cereals: 3/4 cup
Oatmeal: 2/3 cup cooked or 1 instant packet Step 4
Selecting Proteins

While protein's primary role is maintaining muscle integrity, it also satisfies hunger. Protein provides a greater feeling of fullness, ounce for ounce, than an equivalent amount of carbohydrate. The effect: You're content with fewer calories. That's why 25 percent of your calories should come from protein.

When you choose proteins, lean is always best. Fat adds flavor to protein--but also calories. So be sure to limit the number of calories in the protein sources you choose. A good rule of thumb: The fattier the protein, the smaller the serving.

Protein Picks

Very lean (about 35 calories per serving)
Chicken or turkey breast (skinless): 1 ounce
Fish fillet (all whitefish): 1 ounce
Canned, water-packed tuna: 1 ounce
Shellfish: 1 ounce
Egg whites: 2 large
Egg substitute: 1/4 cup

Lean (about 55 calories per serving)
Chicken or turkey (skinless dark meat): 1 ounce
Salmon, swordfish, herring, trout, bluefish: 1 ounce
Lean beef (flank steak, top round, ground sirloin): 1 ounce
Veal or lamb (roast or lean chop): 1 ounce
Pork (tenderloin): 1 ounce
Canadian bacon: 1 ounce
Low-fat hot dogs: 1
Low-fat luncheon meats: 1 ounce

Dairy Products (about 90 calories per serving)
Fat-free or 1-percent-fat cottage cheese (calcium fortified): 1 cup
Low-fat, sugar-free yogurt: 3/4 cup
Fat-free, sugar-free yogurt: 1 cup
Low-fat cheese (all types): 2 ounces
Step 5
Selecting Fats

Most dieters immediately start cutting fat. But instead of just cutting out junk-food sources of fat, they also cut fatty foods that are healthy, including nuts and nut butters, and olives and olive oil.

Foods with a little fat help slow the rate of digestion and provide a sense of fullness. Try to get 25 percent of your daily calories from good fats by selecting heart-healthy vegetable, nut, and fish sources.

Fats of Choice

Full-Calorie sources (about 50 calories per serving)
All oils: 1 teaspoon
Avocado (medium): 1/8
Almonds, cashews, filberts: 6
Peanuts: 10
Pistachios: 15
Olives (green or black): 8 medium
Peanut butter (creamy or chunky): 1 teaspoon

Reduced-Calorie sources (about 25 calories per serving)
Light tub margarine: 1 teaspoon
Light mayonnaise/salad dressing: 1 teaspoon
Light cream cheese: 1 teaspoon
Fat-free salad dressing: 1 tablespoon

Step 6
Establish an Eating/Running Pattern

The wild card in the 50-25-25 eating plan is how you distribute your calories throughout the day. That depends on your running schedule. Because you want to eat the bulk of your carbohydrate calories around the times when you will be active, you need to know ahead of time when you're going to exercise each day. Then select mostly carbohydrate-rich foods to fuel up beforehand or afterward. By eating most of your carbohydrate calories around your runs, you'll then eat most of your protein and fat calories the rest of the day when you're more sedentary.

Remember one other guideline when establishing your daily eating pattern: Don't go too many hours without eating or your brain will signal starvation mode and stimulate your appetite. So go ahead and have a morning, afternoon, and evening meal, along with snacks. Just make sure that when you tally up all your eating, you're still within your daily calorie range.

Adapted from Runner's World The Runner's Diet by Madelyn H. Fernstrom, Ph.D., C.N.S. (Rodale 2005). Available in May '05 at rodalestore.com and at bookstores nationwide.

http://runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-242-304-310-7771-0,00.html

Aug 13, 2010

First-borns really are smarter

Well, I hope someone is learning from the obstacles I've overcome in my life :)

SAN DIEGO — Birth order within families has long sparked sibling rivalry, but it might also impact the child's personality and intelligence, a new study suggests. First-borns are typically smarter, while younger siblings get better grades and are more outgoing, the researchers say.

The findings weigh in on a long-standing debate: What effect if any does birth orderhave on a person's life? While numerous studies have been conducted, researchers have yet to draw any definitive conclusions.

The results lend support to some previous hypotheses — for instance, that the eldest sibling tends to have higher aptitude. But the study also contradicts other proposed ideas, for example, that first-borns tend to be more extroverted.

The findings shed light on the influence of sibling relationships, which often receives less attention compared with that of the mother-child or father-child relationship, said Tiffany L. Frank, a doctoral candidate at Adelphi University in Long Island, N.Y., who lead the study.

They also suggest some inherent differences between siblings exist, differences that might arise no matter what parents do. "While parents might want to treat each child equally, it's almost impossible," Frank said here at the 118th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association.

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Most previous studies on the influence of birth order have looked at children from different families. For instance, some studies have looked at U.S. presidents, Nobel Laureates or NASA astronauts to see whether they are mostly first-born children or later born children.U.S. presidents and science Nobel Laureates were found to be overwhelmingly first-borns, as were 21 of the first 23 NASA astronauts. However, these studies cannot take into account influences that arise from children being in the same family, such as the competition that might exist between siblings, Frank said.

In addition, most previous studies have asked subjects to think back to their childhood or adolescence, a method that might lead to inaccuracies if subjects misremember their past.

In the current study, Frank and her colleagues surveyed 90 pairs of siblings in high school. Subjects were asked to report their grades and rank themselves as compared with their siblings on intelligence, work ethic and academic performance. The researchers also obtained academic tests scores and grades to verify the students' own reports.

While the first-born tended to do better on measures of intelligence, the younger siblings had higher overall grade point averages.

Anxious Monkeys Shed Light on Human Temperament Part of Stomach Removed Through Patient's Mouth Fast-Food Should Be Served with Fat-Busting Meds, Study Says New Ovarian Cancer Test Shows Promise First-borns might score higher on tests because, at some point in their lives, they were only children who were the sole recipients of their parents' attention.

Younger siblings might earn better grades, because they received mentoring from first-borns who already had to tackle certain subjects, the researchers say. Also, later born children might feel extra pressure to be competitive, and might try to out-do their older siblings in the hopes of gaining extra attention from parents.

In a second experiment researchers looked at differences in personality between 76 pairs of siblings in high school. Subjects rated themselves on a series of statements designed to assess personality.

Later born siblings were found to be more extroverted (sociable, outgoing), sentimental, forgiving and open to new experiences than their older siblings. First-borns were found to be more perfectionistic than their younger siblings.

The youngsters might also be more open to new experiences, because they "see the obstacles that their older siblings have overcome and therefore feel more secure in challenging themselves," the researchers say.

Frank conducted the work with Hannah Turenshine and Stephen J. Sullivan of Lawrence High School in Cedarhurst, N.Y.

Aug 3, 2010

Jamie Oliver on TEDTalks

I used to watch his cooking show - it was great. Then I discovered TED Talks recently and it's GREAT - any subject, they talk about it. Saw this on loseit.com today. Listen to Jamie - young 34 year old hip chef. Working for an eating revolution. We are priming our children for less lifetime by the food we're surrounding them with. The food we've been surrounded with. The food our palette craves. It's a money driven industry and we've been trained to stop providing for ourselves and rely on the grocery store. The manufacturers that are putting money in their pockets from our compliance. This is an excellent message.


Aug 2, 2010

A Reminder

Good Morning Fellow Worshipers:

Driving to work this morning I was reflecting on the experience more. I've been drawn to this concept of how much we may forget exactly WHO He is. Maybe forget the absolute Holiness of The Father and our Savior. We lose value in the ground so holy we remove our shoes before approaching. To think we can stand in His presence. We may address Him directly - should we not bow our eyes and head, fall to our knees? Grasp the immensity of who He is? Regain the Awe of our Father and a relationship with Him? It's mind blowing.

This is not in condemnation at all. My words probably do not do the message justice. Forgive me my inadequacy. Simply that there is something there I cannot verbally express that we lose hold of - the value in the fire of the Almighty.

In this Majesty, we find His power. For me, yesterday was deeply humbling. Humbled to simply exist - for Him. Even in all my faults & excuses. I was gently reminded of exactly Who He is. Grace, Mercy - yes. But Powerful beyond comprehension. Mighty. In His love - and His direction - for us.

I hope this touches whoever it's meant to touch today.

-Rebecca

Aug 1, 2010

The Love of The Father

I wanted to share a vision I had during worship today. I really felt the Spirit moving in the sanctuary. Powerfully.

While my eyes were closed and I was lost in song, I suddenly had a visual of a forceful wind moving through the sanctuary. Not something to be afraid of but moving in through the doors and quickly, fast moving everywhere and touching everything, surrounding. I shook it off as silly imagination for a moment but then asked what it meant. It was a symbol of God's fierce love for us-as a parent loves & protects their child, so does He of us. He is fighting for us. He is not complacent. His heart burns and His eyes are ablaze for His children. He will wage the war for us, we only need let go & bring it to Him. So difficult to do. He loves us w/a fierceness that we cannot understand. I was moved that the message was to move to Him, let Him take the fight, for He is the mightiest of ALL and it is always His and ours is to release our hold.

This was right before we sang that song that has the lyrics about a hurricane, which was the force of the wind I envisioned. I didn't know that part was coming. I felt in awe that He would move in me with such clarity.

I thought I would share. Thank you for a great worship team & allowing Him to move through each of you to reach others.

For the Kingdom -

Rebecca

Jul 26, 2010

What's 20 minutes? A life.

I am amazed by women. We are powerful. We are beautiful. Our hearts are big. This "Run like Mother" has touched me in only a few days since I've been following the blog. To keep on going. Not only in running, but just in life as a mom - and as a woman, whatever that involves for any of us. This story came from the blog today and is powerful.

Thanks goes out to the one woman who has always stood by my side and would get my rear out of bed if I needed it - Jodee Perdue Smith. My sister and friend. My hero and that one friend we all need.

Reading it with tears in my eyes, thinking of my own struggles... if she can, so can I.

Sometimes a run cracks open the world in a whole new--and much better--way.

This landed in our inbox recently, and both Sarah and I were moved by the honesty and power of her story--and were, once again, reminded of the healing qualities of running. I don't think it's an exaggeration to say running saved the life of this mother of two, who requested to remain anonymous. We should all be so lucky to have a friend like her's.

"I was a non-runner, married a marathoner. I also have a bunch of friends who are runners. I religiously read Runners World, addressed to my husband, when it came in the mail. I cheered everybody on at races, often with tears in my eyes as I was awed and moved by their commitment to run 26.2 miles. I couldn’t imagine. I had never run a day in my life. The 600-yard dash at school gave me a stitch in my side.

Then four years ago, my world came crashing down. I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I was raped. The 9 months that followed were a blur. I don't remember how I even got out of bed in the morning or got my kids out the door to preschool and school. Everything focused on the criminal investigation, visits with the district attorney, medical appointments and questions on how I was doing.

How was I doing? Terrible. I wasn't sleeping or eating well. My life was consumed by that night. There wasn't room, it seemed, for anything else. I felt like this was the beginning of what would be the rest of my life. I was not sure how to get out of the tailspin or even just catch my breath. I was defined by what I had happened. I was the woman who was raped.

One day, a dear friend came over. She literally pulled me out of bed and told me that we were going to go for a short run. Just 15 minutes. Fifteen minutes where I would not have to think about the rape or impending court case. She would just talk to me about other stuff or we could run in silence.

She slowed down for me, distracted me with stories about the kids and we ran as far as I could go. Honestly, it all seemed so trivial after what I had been through, but 15 minutes stretched to 20 minutes that night. More importantly, it was 20 minutes without thinking about that horrific night or the aftermath.

She came over the next day and the next. Soon, my husband took me to buy running shoes. We never really talked about what running was beginning to do for me, but we both knew. I can't articulate the metamorphosis that was occurring. It was not instantaneous, but within a month or so, I was running 4 times a week. I was sleeping and eating better. My body was healing--and so was the rest of me. I so looked forward to my runs! I promised myself during my runs that I wouldn’t think about the rape. I needed that time.

During the trial, I focused on the run that I would go on at the end of the day. When he was sentenced, I went on the longest run I had ever gone on; I wasn't keeping track of the miles then, but it seemed to take forever! My life started coming back to me. My smile was back. Maybe that was because the trial was behind me, but I think it was mostly because of running—and what I was allowing back into my life as a result.

Now, four years later, running has flipped for me. I am too busy with the rest of my life to spend rehashing the past, but I know that sometimes I need to. So, only on my run do I think about the night I was raped or the effect it has had on my life. It is my time to cry about it. If I want to.

Running is my escape, because I could not escape that night. Now I can run fast and get away. I could not that night. I feel strong when I run.Powerful. I hope to run a marathon next year. I know I have the strength and determination to do it.

Last week, I overheard woman at our local running store talking to an employee. She talked about how she started running after being clean of breast cancer for a year. Then she asked me why I run. She said she loved to hear other women's stories. I said I didn't really know.

But in my head I absolutely know. I run because I am no longer that woman who was raped. Instead, I am a runner."

Jul 19, 2010

Parent to Parent: When you dont' agree

This is applied to divorced parents but I find it absolutely applies within marriage as well - or any relationship with another adult that may be leading or guiding your child.

Cell Phone before Kids? MSNBC

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Kids & Caffiene - MSNBC

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