It is the end of May and I am now at 17 days until surgery. At times it is overwhelming, but for the most part I am very relaxed about the situation. The more I think about the details I can see how things are fairly routine. Other than having to multiple surgeries combined into a big surgery, it really is not too bad. Once I can get the surgery done, I can then focus on getting a job.
Larry Wilcox, also known to “ChiPs” fans as Jon Baker was sentenced today for conspiring to commit securities fraud. What did he get for his part in this so called conspiracy? Well he will have to serve 3 years probation, 500 hours of community service and pay a $100 fine. Larry made a mistake that he regretted and the courts went easy on him. Much of what he does on a regular basis in his life is charitable work so I believe 500 hours of community service will be completed with ease.
For more information on Larry Wilcox, go to http://larrywilcox.net/
As part of improving my health and diet I realize I really do need to improve my eating habits. For almost 41 years I have disliked vegetables, I have sustained myself on pasta, candy, fruits, and cheeses. I like fruit, but hate vegetables. So I have decided that I would try a new vegetable on a regular basis – hopefully daily – but at least a few times a week. I will write my experiance so I can encourage myself to find vegetables that I like to eat. If there are any readers that wish to make comments please suggest ways to cook or eat such items.
So as I look at this package of tomatoes I bought, I am actually scared, nervous as to eating this food. I almost feel nauseous. What is it about this food that is making me feel this way. I know I have had tomatoes before, I have had them in my Capallini Pormadoro at Olive Garden, or in my favorite ”Hell on the Red” hot sauce. I have even had them on hamburgers, though I usually prefer to have my burgers sans tomato.
This fruit/vegetable which originated in South America, now is produced all over the world, with China now being the largest producer of tomatoes. (Yes I am stalling). The fruit has a nice firm feel on the outside, as if the skin is close to bursting. It does not really have an oder from the outside.
I cut off a small piece, and it has a taste that has almost a mellon taste, but not as sweet. To me it is a little bitter, in the back of my throat. not too bad really. The second bite got more of the seed area and what I consider the slimy inside. As I ate this bite, I had a slight gag reaction. Is it mental or do is it the liguidy texture that causes my senses to react.
So I will have to say tomatoes are not too bad, I prefer them cooked or in a sauce, and will continue to try other methods with the tomato to improve its taste, but if I eat it raw, I will stick with the outer parts of the tomato rather than the juicy inside.
I have been confronted with a gift in regards to reflecting on what I have, and defining what is important to me. In June 2011, I am going to be having my third open heart surgery since I was born. As with any surgery there are risks of complications, however being my third it has increased the risk to about 8 percent according to the doctors. In addition, I have several months before the surgery takes place, which has given me time to put things in order just in case.
One thing I have started to realize is that when I look at all the clutter and stuff in my house the more I realize I don’t need as much as I have. I regard this as the vacation philosophy of living. When we are on vacation we have what we fit in a suitecase and what is furnished in the hotel. we have our necessities of food, clothing, and shelter. We are more relaxed, or are out doing more. We only spend time in the room to relax and sleep and sometimes eat. Imagine what happens if we choose to apply this vacation style of living at home.
It may sound crazy, but in many parts of the world, that is what they have. In the book The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer From the People Who’ve Lived the Longest 
I am learning that I need to be content with what I have, to accept what I have and try not to desire so much. What is harder for me, is to look at what I have and decide what can I give, who can use it, better yet, who really needs it.
I work with a teacher who is from Kenya, and also runs an orphanage (Wikonditi Ebenezer Orphanage) that his father started. He tells me stories of what the children have, and it also makes me reflect on what I need and do not need.
What do you have compared to what you need? Can you adopt the vacation philosophy of living?
I will have to say that the best and yet hardest job is raising a child. I had my first child when I was 36 years old. Why did I wait to have kids this late in life you might ask. First, I was not married until I was 33. Second I felt other things in life were more important. I was wrong on that second part. Since having Isaiah in 2006, I began changing my career aspects so I could spend more time with my family. In 2008, Audra was born. I have a family with a wonderful boy and girl.
Over the course of time from 2006 until now I have focused less on work and more on family. One way I did that was to become a teacher. Some people may say that would be a crazy change, especially since my own income dropped by a third. But what I have found, is less stress and the joy one finds with family and children. I used to work anywhere from 40 to 60 hours a week before getting married to a position where I work approximately 38 weeks out of the year.
Before my family I spent much of my time working, being involved with church, and being single. It was easy, I worked a number of jobs and easily progressed in each. Much of this was because I went to work and worked, came home and worked some more or learned about things relating to my work, and occassionally went out.
Life changes when you have a family, for me it was a change in focus in my life. The amount of time I spent at work became less and less. I essentially do no work at home now, maybe a little her and there. I come home and help my wife with the house.
But it really is the hardest job you will ever love. Every day changes. Right now I am trying to understand and help my son understand his current fear of sleeping in his room. Until then he is sleeping on a makeshift bed next to our bed, working to help him make his room monster proof, and encourage him to sleep in his room alone. My daughter is on the verge of being sick, and I am usually awakened by her each night around 2:00 a.m. as she wants to get out of bed. I go in and tell her it is not time to get up, and she needs to go back to sleep. Fortunately this is easy now.
I don’t regret many things in life, I consider them learning oppertunities than situations of regret, however there are times I wish I had my kids earlier in life. It is hard at times, crazy most of the time, and fun all the time.
Chaos is a good way to explain my thinking process, but it is me, and I accept it. I am often disorganized, I live with clutter almost everywhere, and there are times when I can’t find what I am looking for. I was not always like this, but this is where I am right now. I have been there in the past and I am sure I will be there again after this current cycle. When I am in chaos I try to take myself out of the drivers seat, I allow myself to coast to a stop. I was told once by an advanced driving instructor regarding controlling a car that is loosing control the following phrase “If in spin, both feet in. If in doubt, both feet out” What this means is that if you are spinning out of control in your car, put your feet on your brakes and clutch and work hard to stop this loss of control. The second part of the phrase tells us if we are not sure if we are getting out of control, then we need to slow down, take our feet of the brakes, the gas, and the clutch and just coast for a bit. Let the vehicle do the work, you just steer and let the car get back in control.
This is true with life also. You have to slow down and stop on occassion.
Right now I have just come out of a spin, but have not learned well enough to keep my vehicle in full control. I am having to ease off the gas and brakes every so often and just coast along.
For the past 4 years I have been teaching high school, this was a career change of choice. I used to be a IT manager. Immediatly after becoming a teacher, I began teaching at a community college, and started on my masters. It was very busy for me. Finally I graduated with my masters, I have temporarily stopped teaching at the community college, and now just focusing on writing high school curriculum for my courses.
I am slowly getting back on the track, and planning on taking it slow. This is my reminder.
OK, Sure it is that phrase that Vulcans and Trekkies say to each other, but in the end it should be a motto to live by. My health has recently caused me to refocus my attention on this, I have become slack, a sloth in the true meaning of the word. Have you ever really seen a sloth, I don’t want to be a sloth. Not to mention you take the Christian view of being a sloth, which is a person who has neglected their personal duties in the church. Again, I do not want to go this route either. This is not me. It is also a neglect on our own personal being. Affecting our physical, emotional, and spiritual well being. The things we need most to live long and prosper.
So today (January 20th, 2011), I take this stand to decide I am going to change. I want to ”Live long and prosper”. I want to get my heart healthier, I want my body healthier, I want more energy, I want to be there for my family, I want to live to be 100.
So yes, I am taking steps (and will be taking many, many more) to improve my health, improve my lifestyle, and improve my spirituality.
I like to gather information from books, which is to say I don’t usually read from cover to cover, and will be references them in my writings. In my goal to a healthier and better life I am going through the The Mayo Clinic Diet: Eat Well, Enjoy Life, Lose Weight
The first part of the book suggests adding 5 new habbits to my life.
These are all not too bad. I have already started on the whole grains, I am slowly adding the breakfast, but the vegetables and getting up and moving are my hardest part.
I am working to create a homemade steadicam that I can use for personal use and for my high school classes that I teach. I am working off of two initial concepts. The first is YB2Normal’s camera stabalizer and the second is this iPhone 4 steadicam.
Parts List with estimated costs
| 3/4 inch s40 x 5′ PVC | $1.24 |
| 1 inch s40 Coupling | $0.38 |
| 2 inch s40 Coupling | $0.86 |
| 3/4 inch s40 x 5′ PVC | $1.24 |
| 3′ x 5/16″ all thread rod | $2.54 |
| 5/16 x 1 1/2″ fender washers | $5.97 |
| Razor brand skate wheels with bearings | $5.99 |
| Total | $18.22 |
Step One: Set oven to broil and let it heat. I used a pan and placed 4 pvc rings cut to the width of the bearings that I aquired from the skate wheels. It was cheaper to buy 2 wheels that had 4 bearings than to just by bearings. With the oven headed I placed the PVC rings and let them heat until soft. Once sligtly malable I removed the pvc and used a needle nose plier to stretch out the pvc to fit the bearing in. I reheated it just for a few moments and then placed the bearing with PVC ring in the freezer in order to cool faster. After a few minutes take it out of the freezer and let it sit for several hours. The PVC will shrink back around the bearings.
I am a Best Buy just looking at the iPad. I can’t say i dislike it in any way. Some people have complained about the keyboard and how problematic it may be for long term typing. There are a few issues such as having to switch to a different screen for some keys, as i hoped that would have changed having a bigger screen than the iPhone, but the overall feel of using this keyboard is nice. I am not a big touch typer but can see how not having a tactile keyboard could be an issue for some people. Overall I really like the feel and use of the iPad.
I want to go on a walk, not a walk around the block or in the neighborhood, but one that is an adventure that could be of the nature of John Muir. To pack light, and head in a direction, keeping a small journal for notes. For being able to head out in a way that would allow me to see what we do not see when we travel by car entices me.