1. Josh Hillis has posted a little blog about the ridiculousness of a crazy spiked hula hoop that is supposedly a new fitness fad. Ouch!
2. And on the topic of fitness fads, I keep seeing advertisements that say, "Flat abs guaranteed! No crunches necessary!" Well, of course I know that crunches aren't the be-all and end-all of abdominal exercises. There is an "abs-travaganza" of other things that you can do. But, please...crunches aren't that bad. There are things far worse than crunches. In fact, I bet I could turn a crunch-hater into someone who would scream for relief, "Just let me do crunches instead!" by just making them do a couple of my favorite ab exercises.
Anyhow - just because an ab workout is advertised as "crunchless" don't be silly enough to think it will be easy. If it does turn out to be easy, I'm 99.9% sure you won't be seeing results. That's because results take E - F - F - O - R - T...effort.
3. Anne Hathaway (The Princess Diaries, etc) will be wearing a ribbon at Obama's inauguration. That ribbon signifies her protest against Rick Warren (Saddleback Church, author of "The Purpose Driven Life") who Obama has chosen as he clergy of choice to give the invocation. Heck, I'd protest Warren, too - but it would be for entirely different reasons. Hathaway finds Warren's views too conservative (laughing, coughing sputtering over here as I type this). She thinks Rick Warren represents (a chuckle here) the religious right. HA. I think evangelicals are far more critical of Warren than the left - because of his watered down gospel, faulty handling of Scripture in "The Purpose Driven Life," etc. (The PDL claims from the get go that "it's not about you, it's about Him" but the more you read the book you find he thinks, yep, it's all about you). Great book recommendation: Decieved on Purpose by Warren Smith.
I actually think he's a great choice for a liberal president to pick. Obama tries to walk a fence between liberalism and conservatism, as does Rick Warren. He's got the ability to be a bit of a bridge. And really, did anyone think with all of the Hollywood liberal posse in town that he was going to pick someone like Franklin Graham or John MacArthur?
4. A read a scary article at Fox News about anti-psychotic Alzheimer's meds and death. While the two drugs the VA psych doc has given my father are not mentioned in the studies, there certainly have given my father trouble. Too much trouble.
5. We're under a winter weather warning and are expecting 6 - 10" of snow tonight. I'm happy it's happening on the weekend and that we have no place we really need to go. I'm hoping we can get bundled up and head out to our favorite sledding hill and actually enjoy this round of the white stuff.
~o~
I drove Caren to her appointment today and I am happy to say she doesn't have to get a hard cast. Of course, she's still in the sling and she's not allowed to do anything...but praise God that she doesn't have to have an itchy cast on her arm for weeks!
Friday, January 9, 2009
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
The grace in disgrace...etc.
We are not necessarily doubting that God will do the best for us; we are wondering how painful the best will turn out to be. -- C. S. Lewis
The quote above sums up right where the human mind heads when God directs you in an unexpected way. Change is hard. I think most of us cling to the good old status quo simply because of cowardice. We just don't know where God is going with us and if the process is going to hurt or not.
My own personal experience has taught me (and is currently teaching me) that if you don't go the direction God wants you to go that He will find a way to make you go the right way. If it involves using a weak moment or a personal flaw, so be it. And, well...ouch. Chances are that listening and following through at the get-go would still have been painful, but possibly less humiliating.
"FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES, AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES." Hebrews 12:6 Good to know! I believe it was David who said, "It was good for me that I had been afflicted." "Chastisement yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness", especially if you know how to be thankful for it. Because, "All things happen for the good to those who love the Lord."
"Let the righteous strike me; it shall be a kindness. Let him rebuke me; it shall be an excellent oil; let my heart not refuse it." Psalms 141:5
I'm still in the wound-care department of this current self-inflicted injury but I am already catching glimpses of the grace in the disgrace. I feel like Eustace in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader - he was in the form of a dragon because of all the greedy, dragonish thoughts. To become a boy again, he has to allow Aslan to pull away that dragon skin, layer by painful layer. In the end of it, he was fresh and new - transformed.
Here's how the character of Eustace describes it:
"The very first tear he made was so deep that I thought it had gone right into my heart. And when he began pulling the skin off, it hurt worse than anything I've ever felt. The only thing that made me able to bear it was just the pleasure of feeling the stuff peel off. You know - if you've ever picked the scab of a sore place. It hurts like the billy-oh but it is such fun to see it coming away."
A blessing worth mentioning: My husband's awesome support. Not only is he incredibly gorgeous, he a rock. :)
~o~
An interesting quote from a theses I read:
"The object of faith is no longer Christ, but our self-esteem; the goal of faith is no longer holiness, but our happiness; and the source of faith is no longer the Scriptures, but our experience. Christian music currently reflects this. We are producing a generation of people that "feel" their God, but do not know their God." Steven John Camp
While Mr. Camp was writing this on the topic of music ministry, it is too often seen within another area of the worship service: the message. People complain if the message is too harsh, if the preacher doesn't have any easy to follow outline, and a number of other things. As a people we've come to want to be entertained - we want the sermon-giver to be likable, personable, to say the things our itchy ears want to be tickled with. Make us laugh. Give us something not too deep, but enough that we can feel like we did our duty in our 45 minutes of pew-warming. The trend says certainly don't make us uncomfortable.
So what happens when the object of our faith is something else? Be it our children's socialization or our own friendships, position, prestige, or perhaps just not wanting to budge from our comfort zone? Nowadays sports is the god of choice in many circles - how many church ministry meetings cancelled or changed because "My kid has football practice on Wednesday night and if he's not there, he can't play."
I'm going to digress a little here - but the moment we start telling our kids that *any secular/recreational activity* trumps a scheduled activity with other believers, young or old, (excluding random, occasional imminent need type things or a once in a blue moon tournament) - then we're giving them the wrong message. If we're doing it ourselves, then woe to us. In our house there was always a rule when the girls played rec league sports and attended dance classes: Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights were reserved for church. Period. If we were told our child couldn't be on a team unless they attended something during one of those times, then tough-luck - no team. Maybe in this God's best is painful, but that instruction and fellowship will have eternal rewards. Basketball or acrobatics won't. Maybe that's the another good thing about homeschooling or being in a small, private Christian school - you aren't subject to as much adult peer pressure to choose sports over church.
~o~
A delicious combination: quinoa and natural (no sugar added) apple butter. Delicious!
~o~
If you happen upon this posting and are in a praying frame of mind, lift up my dear BFF, Caren. The icy conditions were just plain treacherous yesterday afternoon and she broke her lower arm. It is painful and restricting.
The quote above sums up right where the human mind heads when God directs you in an unexpected way. Change is hard. I think most of us cling to the good old status quo simply because of cowardice. We just don't know where God is going with us and if the process is going to hurt or not.
My own personal experience has taught me (and is currently teaching me) that if you don't go the direction God wants you to go that He will find a way to make you go the right way. If it involves using a weak moment or a personal flaw, so be it. And, well...ouch. Chances are that listening and following through at the get-go would still have been painful, but possibly less humiliating.
"FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES, AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES." Hebrews 12:6 Good to know! I believe it was David who said, "It was good for me that I had been afflicted." "Chastisement yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness", especially if you know how to be thankful for it. Because, "All things happen for the good to those who love the Lord."
"Let the righteous strike me; it shall be a kindness. Let him rebuke me; it shall be an excellent oil; let my heart not refuse it." Psalms 141:5
I'm still in the wound-care department of this current self-inflicted injury but I am already catching glimpses of the grace in the disgrace. I feel like Eustace in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader - he was in the form of a dragon because of all the greedy, dragonish thoughts. To become a boy again, he has to allow Aslan to pull away that dragon skin, layer by painful layer. In the end of it, he was fresh and new - transformed.
Here's how the character of Eustace describes it:
"The very first tear he made was so deep that I thought it had gone right into my heart. And when he began pulling the skin off, it hurt worse than anything I've ever felt. The only thing that made me able to bear it was just the pleasure of feeling the stuff peel off. You know - if you've ever picked the scab of a sore place. It hurts like the billy-oh but it is such fun to see it coming away."
A blessing worth mentioning: My husband's awesome support. Not only is he incredibly gorgeous, he a rock. :)
~o~
An interesting quote from a theses I read:
"The object of faith is no longer Christ, but our self-esteem; the goal of faith is no longer holiness, but our happiness; and the source of faith is no longer the Scriptures, but our experience. Christian music currently reflects this. We are producing a generation of people that "feel" their God, but do not know their God." Steven John Camp
While Mr. Camp was writing this on the topic of music ministry, it is too often seen within another area of the worship service: the message. People complain if the message is too harsh, if the preacher doesn't have any easy to follow outline, and a number of other things. As a people we've come to want to be entertained - we want the sermon-giver to be likable, personable, to say the things our itchy ears want to be tickled with. Make us laugh. Give us something not too deep, but enough that we can feel like we did our duty in our 45 minutes of pew-warming. The trend says certainly don't make us uncomfortable.
So what happens when the object of our faith is something else? Be it our children's socialization or our own friendships, position, prestige, or perhaps just not wanting to budge from our comfort zone? Nowadays sports is the god of choice in many circles - how many church ministry meetings cancelled or changed because "My kid has football practice on Wednesday night and if he's not there, he can't play."
I'm going to digress a little here - but the moment we start telling our kids that *any secular/recreational activity* trumps a scheduled activity with other believers, young or old, (excluding random, occasional imminent need type things or a once in a blue moon tournament) - then we're giving them the wrong message. If we're doing it ourselves, then woe to us. In our house there was always a rule when the girls played rec league sports and attended dance classes: Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights were reserved for church. Period. If we were told our child couldn't be on a team unless they attended something during one of those times, then tough-luck - no team. Maybe in this God's best is painful, but that instruction and fellowship will have eternal rewards. Basketball or acrobatics won't. Maybe that's the another good thing about homeschooling or being in a small, private Christian school - you aren't subject to as much adult peer pressure to choose sports over church.
~o~
A delicious combination: quinoa and natural (no sugar added) apple butter. Delicious!
~o~
If you happen upon this posting and are in a praying frame of mind, lift up my dear BFF, Caren. The icy conditions were just plain treacherous yesterday afternoon and she broke her lower arm. It is painful and restricting.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Checking off those resolutions...
The New Year is starting off with a bang. Yesterday was the first day of our 16 week diet/fitness program - I think that my daughter and I are off to a good start. We were definitely sweating!
I resigned from the board of the figure skating club knowing that I do not have enough time to give it the attention it merits.
A decision Pat and I have been wanting to make since October has been made for us, thanks to God and my own faux pas. It is wonderful how we humans can screw up royally and yet the Father uses it for our good. This is one of those situations where I can see right away the blessing in the end result. That's much easier than when it takes longer to have the "Aha!" moment. The sin of me voicing my opinion in the wrong forum has brought about what we delayed by the sin of not listening to what God wanted us to do in a timely manner months ago. I find myself in the midst of mortification feeling a deep sense of relief.
My resolution reading list is awaiting me at the library. All I need to do is go pick up the books.
I also had resolved to spend more time with friends and developing friendships. I'm excited to begin working out with my friend, Caren, in the morning again. I very much missed the times we had together, sweating and shooting the breeze. Plans have also been made with two other friends to get together for coffee and conversation more frequently.
I trust that the Lord will put everything else in order.
An interesting point I'm pondering: Guilt by association. Barack Obama received a great deal of criticism for sitting under the teachings of Rev. Jeremiah Wright. Wright's inflammatory statements haunted Obama's campaign and the connection was expounded upon in the media. Okay, that's a public figure. What about me? If I knowingly choose to sit under preaching from a public pulpit that is irreverent and disrespectful, making light of such an important part of my faith (as in the Christ, the incarnate Deity)...then am I guilty by that association? If I continued under it, wouldn't I be as guilty as Obama has been portrayed? How do we know that Obama never spoke privately to Rev. Wright to express his discouragement or dismay? Perhaps he did - but the world wanted a public denial or nothing. I"m prayerfully mulling over my own actions and inaction over the past few months. I know my guilt as far as out of place vocalization, but what about my guilt by association and my failure to speak out where/when it mattered?
I resigned from the board of the figure skating club knowing that I do not have enough time to give it the attention it merits.
A decision Pat and I have been wanting to make since October has been made for us, thanks to God and my own faux pas. It is wonderful how we humans can screw up royally and yet the Father uses it for our good. This is one of those situations where I can see right away the blessing in the end result. That's much easier than when it takes longer to have the "Aha!" moment. The sin of me voicing my opinion in the wrong forum has brought about what we delayed by the sin of not listening to what God wanted us to do in a timely manner months ago. I find myself in the midst of mortification feeling a deep sense of relief.
My resolution reading list is awaiting me at the library. All I need to do is go pick up the books.
I also had resolved to spend more time with friends and developing friendships. I'm excited to begin working out with my friend, Caren, in the morning again. I very much missed the times we had together, sweating and shooting the breeze. Plans have also been made with two other friends to get together for coffee and conversation more frequently.
I trust that the Lord will put everything else in order.
An interesting point I'm pondering: Guilt by association. Barack Obama received a great deal of criticism for sitting under the teachings of Rev. Jeremiah Wright. Wright's inflammatory statements haunted Obama's campaign and the connection was expounded upon in the media. Okay, that's a public figure. What about me? If I knowingly choose to sit under preaching from a public pulpit that is irreverent and disrespectful, making light of such an important part of my faith (as in the Christ, the incarnate Deity)...then am I guilty by that association? If I continued under it, wouldn't I be as guilty as Obama has been portrayed? How do we know that Obama never spoke privately to Rev. Wright to express his discouragement or dismay? Perhaps he did - but the world wanted a public denial or nothing. I"m prayerfully mulling over my own actions and inaction over the past few months. I know my guilt as far as out of place vocalization, but what about my guilt by association and my failure to speak out where/when it mattered?
Thursday, January 1, 2009
2009, already?
"Already" said very tongue in cheek as I've been writing "2009" on things for ages and had to convince myself by looking at everyone else's calendars, etc, that it is not now going to be 2010. I don't know when I fast-forwarded the year...but I'm glad I didn't lose 2008 somewhere along the way.
This is the time of year for goals and resolutions. I wasn't going to make any - except for my friend, Becky's, which is "to treat myself better this year." I like that one, it can encompass an awful lot...but without the pressure of specifics. Suddenly, however, the whole resolution/goal thing started spiraling out of control and I'm consumed with the adrenalin-rush of planning.
To start with, there is the figure competitor challenge program that I designed for my daughter and I to complete in 16 weeks. It's going to be tough, but I'm ready for the challenge. It makes it so much easier to have her doing it with me - that support and accountability is priceless. We start on Monday and will complete the program on April 26, 2009. The reward? Besides the obvious, I'm going to get us each an awesome Otomix workout outfit. During this time she should be studying up for her personal trainer certification - I received mine last summer. When she gets her certification and we both get our first aid/CPR cards updated, we'll be launching our personal training business together.
I also have been developing some resolve to tighten our budget. Oh heck, we don't even follow a "budget" per se - at least not on paper. But this time, for the first in our 25 year marriage, we're going to attempt tracking all of our expenses and following a real, honest-to-goodness budget plan. The spreadsheet is ready (free at pearbudget.com).
As part of this battening-down-the-hatches financially resolution, I've reserved all three volumes of The Tightwad Gazette and two books by Christian finance guru, Larry Burkett. In honor of tightening the budget, I resisted the urge to order them on Amazon.
And now in the arena of personal development, I'm thinking of joining Project Wonder Woman, which I read about on Maggie Wang's blog. I have reserved the book "You Can Do It! The Merit Badge Handbook for Grown Up Girls" by Lauren Catuzzi Grandcolas. It reminds me a bit of trying to be an "accomplished woman" as discussed by Mr. Darcy and Caroline Bingley in "Pride and Prejudice." It's a book about pursuing your dreams, not putting them on the shelf, while you're balancing wife-dom, parenthood, home and career. Sadly, the author died aboard United Flight 93 on 9/11. Somehow working for badges, virtually or not, is just the sort of inspiration I need to finally do some of the things I've thought about...like growing a garden, for instance. And who knows? If I manage to get our budget under control and through thriftiness save some extra money, I might be able to try the ones that aren't free or next-to-nothing!
As for spiritual development, once again I will be following Discipleship Journal's excellent Bible Reading Plan. I try to go through it every couple of years. It is the best, easiest to follow plan that I have ever used. You read from four portions of the Bible each day, 25 days of the month (giving you days off, days to catch up if you missed a day, etc). Reading from different areas helps me not to feel bogged down, like in Leviticus.
I am also resolving to finish working my way through the Bible study for "Lies Women Believe." I started it months ago and then life just snow-balled, leaving it collecting dust.
Dust...that's another area where I have goals for 2009. I have got to do some purging. Of course, I have to have cooperation for that and Pat isn't too keen on getting rid of anything. However, things will need to be sorted through and cleared out, some way, some how. I'd like to lean a teensy bit toward "voluntary simplicity." A teensy bit - I don't know how far I could really go that way. I like gadgets, books and such too much to do away with semi-necessities.
I'm sure there are other fledging goals waiting to take flight, but those are enough for now. I'm enjoying the spirit of it all - I love the plan stage as much as I love the attack phase. Within the next few days, a stack of books will be awaiting me at the library and I'll jump into this all gung ho. Until then, however, I can start on the "treat myself better" resolve. A way to be nice to myself, I decided, is to cut out some of the excess busy-ness, starting with the skate club board position.
This is the time of year for goals and resolutions. I wasn't going to make any - except for my friend, Becky's, which is "to treat myself better this year." I like that one, it can encompass an awful lot...but without the pressure of specifics. Suddenly, however, the whole resolution/goal thing started spiraling out of control and I'm consumed with the adrenalin-rush of planning.
To start with, there is the figure competitor challenge program that I designed for my daughter and I to complete in 16 weeks. It's going to be tough, but I'm ready for the challenge. It makes it so much easier to have her doing it with me - that support and accountability is priceless. We start on Monday and will complete the program on April 26, 2009. The reward? Besides the obvious, I'm going to get us each an awesome Otomix workout outfit. During this time she should be studying up for her personal trainer certification - I received mine last summer. When she gets her certification and we both get our first aid/CPR cards updated, we'll be launching our personal training business together.
I also have been developing some resolve to tighten our budget. Oh heck, we don't even follow a "budget" per se - at least not on paper. But this time, for the first in our 25 year marriage, we're going to attempt tracking all of our expenses and following a real, honest-to-goodness budget plan. The spreadsheet is ready (free at pearbudget.com).
As part of this battening-down-the-hatches financially resolution, I've reserved all three volumes of The Tightwad Gazette and two books by Christian finance guru, Larry Burkett. In honor of tightening the budget, I resisted the urge to order them on Amazon.
And now in the arena of personal development, I'm thinking of joining Project Wonder Woman, which I read about on Maggie Wang's blog. I have reserved the book "You Can Do It! The Merit Badge Handbook for Grown Up Girls" by Lauren Catuzzi Grandcolas. It reminds me a bit of trying to be an "accomplished woman" as discussed by Mr. Darcy and Caroline Bingley in "Pride and Prejudice." It's a book about pursuing your dreams, not putting them on the shelf, while you're balancing wife-dom, parenthood, home and career. Sadly, the author died aboard United Flight 93 on 9/11. Somehow working for badges, virtually or not, is just the sort of inspiration I need to finally do some of the things I've thought about...like growing a garden, for instance. And who knows? If I manage to get our budget under control and through thriftiness save some extra money, I might be able to try the ones that aren't free or next-to-nothing!
As for spiritual development, once again I will be following Discipleship Journal's excellent Bible Reading Plan. I try to go through it every couple of years. It is the best, easiest to follow plan that I have ever used. You read from four portions of the Bible each day, 25 days of the month (giving you days off, days to catch up if you missed a day, etc). Reading from different areas helps me not to feel bogged down, like in Leviticus.
I am also resolving to finish working my way through the Bible study for "Lies Women Believe." I started it months ago and then life just snow-balled, leaving it collecting dust.
Dust...that's another area where I have goals for 2009. I have got to do some purging. Of course, I have to have cooperation for that and Pat isn't too keen on getting rid of anything. However, things will need to be sorted through and cleared out, some way, some how. I'd like to lean a teensy bit toward "voluntary simplicity." A teensy bit - I don't know how far I could really go that way. I like gadgets, books and such too much to do away with semi-necessities.
I'm sure there are other fledging goals waiting to take flight, but those are enough for now. I'm enjoying the spirit of it all - I love the plan stage as much as I love the attack phase. Within the next few days, a stack of books will be awaiting me at the library and I'll jump into this all gung ho. Until then, however, I can start on the "treat myself better" resolve. A way to be nice to myself, I decided, is to cut out some of the excess busy-ness, starting with the skate club board position.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Human fat as fuel? Right or Wrong?
My sister sent me a link to this article about a Beverly Hills plastic surgeon who is currently being investigated for turning human fat (medical waste from 7,000 liposuction procedures he performed) into bio-fuel. Yes, bio-fuel. Supposedly he fueled his Ford Explorer with it and his fiance's car. His clinic has been shut down, as has his internet site "lipodiesel.com." Apparently there is a law on the books in the United States which says that you cannot turn human medical waste into fuel. WOW. Who would have ever thought such a law would be necessary? And is that particular use of human fat a bad thing?
I can understand us never wanting to see life become like Logan's Run where the citizens thought they were eating fish, plankton and protein from the sea but really ended up eating the people who were killed off when their time clocks ran out:
Or Soylent Green where those little green wafers that everyone subsisted on were actually made from people:
Now if someone donates their excess fat to be turned into bio-fuel - what is the wrong in that? Fat *is* meant to provide energy. On your thighs or in your car, where would you rather have it? (Tongue firmly in cheek). As it is human "medical waste" gets appropriated to other uses whether we make that decision ourselves or not. For instance, when you have a baby many hospitals take the umbilical cord and sell it. They don't ask the mother and they certainly don't deduct the profit they receive from her bill. I remember when my daughter, Rhianna, was born - I was laying there during my C-section listening to the doctor and nurses have an interesting conversation about how long, thick and healthy her cord was and it would be "worth a lot." No one asked me!
Some women have to fight to keep their placenta - whether they want it to plant in their yard or to eat (some cultures believe this strengthens the mother). That should be the decision of the mother. It is a product of her body and I don't think anyone has any business making a law about it.
In Canada human aborted fetuses are used for the development of vaccinations. Now THAT is unethical. It is disgusting and horrible - and yet it happens. It is a wonder to me that a law can be on the books preventing excess human fat from being used to propel vehicles or warm houses, but the cells, lungs and other body parts of murdered babies can be used in research and development. Go figure. :(
I read an article the other day about people involved in the "Voluntary Simplicity" movement who felt strongly about using humanure to fertilize their gardens. They received some resistance from those who found it distasteful, but seriously - what is so different about using that as opposed to chicken manure?
So back to Dr. Craig Bittner, the doctor who was "recycling" human fat to run his automobiles... The Auto Blog says: "We’re all for recycling, alternative fuels, and that general green kind of thing — but we draw the line at human waist waste, which is why we wonder whether he really did it. In other words, we’re flabbergasted by his outrageous story." I wonder if they're as shocked by tissue from murdered human babies (we call them aborted fetuses to take some of the shock value off, I think) being used to develop vaccinations and beauty treatments?
What sort of twisted society do we live in, anyhow?
A horrifying piece by Dr. Olga Fairfax, PhD: 101 Uses for a Dead (or Live) Baby. She researched what happens to the bodies of aborted babies and has documentation to back it up. Her organization will supply that documentation upon request.
People donate their bodies "to science" and instead of being used for med students to practice upon, their bodies can wind up plasticized and on circus-like display --- or wind up being used as a crash test dummy.
~o~
Before this stuff weighed heavily on my brain, I did have a very nice Sunday. An excellent Sunday school class, a challenging sermon, leftover turkey-spinach baked zita (gluten-free with homemade tomato sauce that had none of Rhianna's allergens in it), a long, long nap. The beautiful little Layla to cuddle. Movies on the sofa with dh. (We watched "Thunderheart" which is an old favorite of ours). Today was a rest day, but I did catch up blogging my workouts on my sweat blog.
I can understand us never wanting to see life become like Logan's Run where the citizens thought they were eating fish, plankton and protein from the sea but really ended up eating the people who were killed off when their time clocks ran out:
Or Soylent Green where those little green wafers that everyone subsisted on were actually made from people:
Now if someone donates their excess fat to be turned into bio-fuel - what is the wrong in that? Fat *is* meant to provide energy. On your thighs or in your car, where would you rather have it? (Tongue firmly in cheek). As it is human "medical waste" gets appropriated to other uses whether we make that decision ourselves or not. For instance, when you have a baby many hospitals take the umbilical cord and sell it. They don't ask the mother and they certainly don't deduct the profit they receive from her bill. I remember when my daughter, Rhianna, was born - I was laying there during my C-section listening to the doctor and nurses have an interesting conversation about how long, thick and healthy her cord was and it would be "worth a lot." No one asked me!
Some women have to fight to keep their placenta - whether they want it to plant in their yard or to eat (some cultures believe this strengthens the mother). That should be the decision of the mother. It is a product of her body and I don't think anyone has any business making a law about it.
In Canada human aborted fetuses are used for the development of vaccinations. Now THAT is unethical. It is disgusting and horrible - and yet it happens. It is a wonder to me that a law can be on the books preventing excess human fat from being used to propel vehicles or warm houses, but the cells, lungs and other body parts of murdered babies can be used in research and development. Go figure. :(
I read an article the other day about people involved in the "Voluntary Simplicity" movement who felt strongly about using humanure to fertilize their gardens. They received some resistance from those who found it distasteful, but seriously - what is so different about using that as opposed to chicken manure?
So back to Dr. Craig Bittner, the doctor who was "recycling" human fat to run his automobiles... The Auto Blog says: "We’re all for recycling, alternative fuels, and that general green kind of thing — but we draw the line at human waist waste, which is why we wonder whether he really did it. In other words, we’re flabbergasted by his outrageous story." I wonder if they're as shocked by tissue from murdered human babies (we call them aborted fetuses to take some of the shock value off, I think) being used to develop vaccinations and beauty treatments?
What sort of twisted society do we live in, anyhow?
A horrifying piece by Dr. Olga Fairfax, PhD: 101 Uses for a Dead (or Live) Baby. She researched what happens to the bodies of aborted babies and has documentation to back it up. Her organization will supply that documentation upon request.
People donate their bodies "to science" and instead of being used for med students to practice upon, their bodies can wind up plasticized and on circus-like display --- or wind up being used as a crash test dummy.
~o~
Before this stuff weighed heavily on my brain, I did have a very nice Sunday. An excellent Sunday school class, a challenging sermon, leftover turkey-spinach baked zita (gluten-free with homemade tomato sauce that had none of Rhianna's allergens in it), a long, long nap. The beautiful little Layla to cuddle. Movies on the sofa with dh. (We watched "Thunderheart" which is an old favorite of ours). Today was a rest day, but I did catch up blogging my workouts on my sweat blog.
Friday, December 26, 2008
Friday Five - Gym Mistakes
Today's Friday Five is devoted solely to mistakes that people make at the gym - most of which I saw this morning. There is a group of three women that have been coming for a few months. They never improve even though losing weight and "getting in shape" are their professed goals.
1. Not working hard enough. Effort is required. If you lolly-gag from one machine to the next, you are wasting time. If you are counting lolly-gagging time as part of your workout and telling people, "I work out for an hour a day and I get no results!" well then you are deceiving yourself and others.
If you are a young, healthy (although perhaps overweight) adult, there isn't a reason that you should still be having the treadmill on 0% incline and 3.0 mph after several months. 3.0 mph isn't even a brisk walk. It's a stroll. It's a 20 min. mile. Chances are if you aren't breaking a sweat, then guess what? You're not exerting any effort. Don't expect success without effort.
2. Using itty bitty light weights. If it feels too easy, then it IS too easy. 15 reps with a 3 lb dumbbell isn't going to firm up your triceps or biceps. If you are using the thigh machine and it's banging and clanging together because the weight is so light that your thighs are flinging the parts around like you're tossing pancakes, USE MORE WEIGHT.
Using momentum can fit here, too, sort of as a sub-category. I see people using momentum to even lift teensy weensy weights. Lift slower (not that you have to lift at snail's pace) and make sure it is your muscle moving the weight, not just the momentum you've created by swinging it around quickly. (Exception: Many kettlebell exercises are designed with momentum in mind. Know which exercises use momentum and which exercises don't. Hint: Those thigh machines DON'T require momentum).
3. POOR FORM. It doesn't just look funny, it can hurt you. For instance, when doing a front raise, don't lift your arms higher than shoulder level.
When doing squats and lunges, knees should never go over the toes. While you are performing the exercise, look down occasionally and make sure you can still see the tip of your toes. Pressing your heel firmly into the floor can help with this - and also help you maintain balance.
Poor form can happen on cardio equipment, too. Don't lean or slouch over a machine. Stand up tall. Don't hold on too tightly. And really, it's not the place to catch up on your reading. If you can focus on a book or magazine, chances are pretty darn good that you're not exerting the amount of effort that you should be in order to attain your goals.
4. Neglecting body parts. Yes, doing back extensions is boring but you need to make sure all of the muscles are getting a balanced workout. You can do this in a split routine and not have to hit the same muscles in a given workout...but make sure you do even the things you hate doing on a regular basis. Don't pick a part of your body that you think you need to work on and focus on that alone. If you develop strong quadriceps, unless you balance out those hamstrings and glutes to match them, you will wind up with knee injuries.
5. Poor gym etiquette. Wipe down ALL equipment when you're done using it. This means wiping down dumbbells, barbells, mats, benches, medicine balls, bands, cable machine attachments, weight machines, cardio equipment, etc, etc, etc. No one wants your germs and you shouldn't want anyone else's. It is wise to wipe things down before you use them, as well, just in case some clod didn't do it before you.
Don't change the radio station unless you make sure that no one else is listening to that. Don't put it on screamo music unless you've gotten the "okay" from other patrons.
~o~
Bonus peeves: I really hate when people say "I ran on the treadmill for 'X' minutes" - when the truth of the matter is they walked, and even that usually at turtle speed. Running is running; walking is walking. One is high impact, the other low.
I also freak a bit (inside, of course) when people talking about 5ks and 10ks and call them marathons. A marathon is 26.2 miles. Period. Anything else has another name.
1. Not working hard enough. Effort is required. If you lolly-gag from one machine to the next, you are wasting time. If you are counting lolly-gagging time as part of your workout and telling people, "I work out for an hour a day and I get no results!" well then you are deceiving yourself and others.
If you are a young, healthy (although perhaps overweight) adult, there isn't a reason that you should still be having the treadmill on 0% incline and 3.0 mph after several months. 3.0 mph isn't even a brisk walk. It's a stroll. It's a 20 min. mile. Chances are if you aren't breaking a sweat, then guess what? You're not exerting any effort. Don't expect success without effort.
2. Using itty bitty light weights. If it feels too easy, then it IS too easy. 15 reps with a 3 lb dumbbell isn't going to firm up your triceps or biceps. If you are using the thigh machine and it's banging and clanging together because the weight is so light that your thighs are flinging the parts around like you're tossing pancakes, USE MORE WEIGHT.
Using momentum can fit here, too, sort of as a sub-category. I see people using momentum to even lift teensy weensy weights. Lift slower (not that you have to lift at snail's pace) and make sure it is your muscle moving the weight, not just the momentum you've created by swinging it around quickly. (Exception: Many kettlebell exercises are designed with momentum in mind. Know which exercises use momentum and which exercises don't. Hint: Those thigh machines DON'T require momentum).
3. POOR FORM. It doesn't just look funny, it can hurt you. For instance, when doing a front raise, don't lift your arms higher than shoulder level.
When doing squats and lunges, knees should never go over the toes. While you are performing the exercise, look down occasionally and make sure you can still see the tip of your toes. Pressing your heel firmly into the floor can help with this - and also help you maintain balance.
Poor form can happen on cardio equipment, too. Don't lean or slouch over a machine. Stand up tall. Don't hold on too tightly. And really, it's not the place to catch up on your reading. If you can focus on a book or magazine, chances are pretty darn good that you're not exerting the amount of effort that you should be in order to attain your goals.
4. Neglecting body parts. Yes, doing back extensions is boring but you need to make sure all of the muscles are getting a balanced workout. You can do this in a split routine and not have to hit the same muscles in a given workout...but make sure you do even the things you hate doing on a regular basis. Don't pick a part of your body that you think you need to work on and focus on that alone. If you develop strong quadriceps, unless you balance out those hamstrings and glutes to match them, you will wind up with knee injuries.
5. Poor gym etiquette. Wipe down ALL equipment when you're done using it. This means wiping down dumbbells, barbells, mats, benches, medicine balls, bands, cable machine attachments, weight machines, cardio equipment, etc, etc, etc. No one wants your germs and you shouldn't want anyone else's. It is wise to wipe things down before you use them, as well, just in case some clod didn't do it before you.
Don't change the radio station unless you make sure that no one else is listening to that. Don't put it on screamo music unless you've gotten the "okay" from other patrons.
~o~
Bonus peeves: I really hate when people say "I ran on the treadmill for 'X' minutes" - when the truth of the matter is they walked, and even that usually at turtle speed. Running is running; walking is walking. One is high impact, the other low.
I also freak a bit (inside, of course) when people talking about 5ks and 10ks and call them marathons. A marathon is 26.2 miles. Period. Anything else has another name.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Mixed Wednesday Ramble
I needed some Warren Zevon this morning, but I also like Terri Clark's version of this song. I heard Werewolves of London this morning and can't get it out of my head. Since I already put that up a while back, I didn't want to be redundant. However, I am sitting here singing, "I saw Lon Chaney walking with the Queen, doing the werewolves of London again..."
~o~
In the interest of not limiting myself to one topic (insert big grin here), guess what I made for dinner last night?
Bison meatballs (ground buffalo, sweet potato, green onions, flaxseed & one egg white)
Brown rice pasta with peas and a white sauce (fat free sour cream, butter, garlic, black pepper, sea salt)
It was GOOD.
~o~
Dunkin' Donuts Coffee, I am soooooooooo over you! Not only do your employees keep giving me caffeine and aspartame when I specifically say "decaf" and "sweet n' low" or "sugar", but I've found better coffee.
SHEETZ. My sister told me that they had a "made to order" coffee bar and that it was way better than Dunkin'. After the last screw up kept me from sleeping well (and I love my sleep), I was ready to try. Rhianna and I stoppedat a nearby Sheetz after her skating lesson on Monday. WONDERFUL. Jenna and I went to a different Sheetz after Layla's appointment yesterday. PERFECT. I called Pat and told him to bring me a decaf skim milk latte home when he passed yet another Sheetz last night. SUPERB. Yep, I don't think I'll be darkening Dunkin's drive through anymore. :D
You can also order smoothies with a shot of protein and meal-replacement shakes. They use whey protein shots. I was very happy. The employee handed me the bottle and let me read it.
~o~
This morning as I was putting on moisturizer, I was thinking about words of advice and wisdom my mother had given me. I was thinking of this because last night I was making Erin take her selenium and chewable vitamin and she was dragging it out, turning it into a torture session. I said, "Buck up! Get it over with, NOW! Don't prolong the agony!" And I realized that is something I say ALL THE TIME whenever someone has to do something unpleasant. (I've been told that I can say this with a very mean and stern voice, making Erin want to cry). The kids also informed me that I always say, "Just do it because it is GOOD FOR YOU." I've been also known to say, "Life is full of things you don't like. Tough. Get used to it."
I'm sure I repeat things to them that my mother told me. Here are some of her gems which I know I have passed on:
Always make sure you are wearing nice underwear in case you are in an accident. (Think they don't care? My friend, Jim, is an EMT and they *do* notice underwear, maybe not in the thick of the emergency, but at some point it registers).
Moisturize. You're never too young to moisturize.
Never sleep with make up on. Always wash your face well with Noxzema before bed. It's just as good as expensive cleansers. (I totally agree).
If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all.
Don't ever let anyone feel left out. If you see someone alone, include them. Period. It doesn't matter if you want to hang out with your friends or your friends don't like them.
Rapists should be castrated and have their parts jammed down their throats so they choke to death on them.
Never wear a black bra with a light colored shirt or a white bra under a black shirt.
Corn is *not* a vegetable it is a starch. A proper meal has a main dish (protein), a starch and a vegetable.
Don't go outside with a snack unless you have enough to share with everyone.
One of Mom's which I don't use: Men think with their zipper. I always hated this one because I don't like limited or boxing anyone into some stereotypical existence.
~o~
I think I might be done walking to the gym for the winter. The icy sidewalks have become treacherous. I like my head to be in the clouds, thinking away about "stuff" but I've been forced to watch my steps very carefully. On the way home there was a bitter wind that was freezing my forehead. Thanks to the glassy texture of the terrain, it took me far longer to get there and back than my usual brisk 6 minute walk. There is no "brisk" when you're in danger of wiping out.
I've got to go blog my workout at my: Sweat Report
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
