SUPERMOON TRILOGY: ACT I

Last night our planet was illuminated at night under the only Supermoon of the year.  We will have two more supermoons in January next month. So this is the beginning of a supermoon trilogy. Last night was simply Act I. A supermoon occurs when a full moon is closer to Earth than normal due to its elliptical orbit. Although my iPhone camera is incapable of properly capturing this astronomical event, at least with me behind the lens making the attempt, I am sharing a couple of photos I took as the moon rose over Lake Michigan in Chicago shortly after moonrise.

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Your Food Diary For:

Sunday, December 3, 2017

BREAKFAST	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
Grits	400	88	6	8	1,240	4
Corn Bread Muffin	300	48	8	4	599	12
	700	136	14	12	1,839	16
L U N C H
Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich	700	55	31	17	286	31
Campbell's Chunky Manhattan Clam Chowder	240	36	6	10	1,600	6
	940	91	37	27	1,886	37
D I N N E R
Sushi - Tuna Roll Maki w/Avocado	400	51	9	31	0	0
	400	51	9	31	0	0
S N A C K S
Fudge bar	300	51	6	9	0	0
Oreo Cookies	320	50	14	2	280	28
	620	101	20	11	280	28
Totals	2,660	379	80	81	4,005	81
Your Daily Goal	3,374	422	112	169	2,300	126
Remaining	714	43	32	88	-1,705	45
	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
	*You've earned 1,444 extra calories from exercise today

If every day were like today...   You'd weigh 220.3 lbs in 5 weeks     

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from forbes.com posted last night:


DEC 3, 2017 @ 06:26 PM 38,609 
The Little Black Book of Billionaire Secrets

Don't Miss Tonight's Supermoon: The Biggest Full Moon Of 2017

Trevor Nace , CONTRIBUTOR

Tonight (December 3), skywatchers will be treated to the only supermoon (scientific name: perigee syzygy) in 2017. If you step outside you'll notice the Moon is especially large and bright, which is because the moon is at its closest distance to Earth.

The perigee moon (prerequisite for a supermoon) exists because as the moon orbits the Earth it does so in an oval or elliptical shape, meaning sometimes the moon is closer to the Earth and other times it's farther. For a supermoon to exist, there must both be a full moon as well as a perigee moon, hence why the moon tonight will look especially close, full, and bright.

This is your opportunity in 2017 to see a supermoon. The most recent supermoon was around a year ago on November 14, 2016. However, 2018 will delight skywatchers with two supermoons, one on January 2nd and another just a few weeks later on January 31st. The supermoon on January 31st will also be a blue moon as it is the second full moon in the same month. NASA has tokened this the supermoon trilogy, with three supermoons occurring in just a few month timespan.

When stepping outside tonight, the moon will be 7% larger and 15% brighter than normal, which may be hard to discern without a direct comparison of a normal moon beside it. The moon will be brightest around midnight when it is highest above the horizon, but that, of course, will depend on local cloudiness and weather.

While the difference between a normal moon and a supermoon isn't as large as people make it out to be, sometimes optical illusions can create the appearance of a bigger moon. For instance, if the moon is on the horizon our brains are tricked into viewing the moon larger and brighter than it really is. This is called a "moon illusion" and results because your brain compares the moon's size with adjacent objects such as buildings or trees and interprets the moon to be much larger than it actually is.

The 2016 supermoon on November 14, 2016, was the closest the moon got to the Earth since 1948, which won't happen again until November of 2034, 17 years from now.

Tonight's supermoon will be 222,761 miles from Earth, 16,139 miles closer than the average distance of 238,900 miles from the moon to the Earth. If you do go outside be sure to dress warm and try to drive to a location away from light pollution so you'll be able to see the moon better.

DARKNESS FALLS EARLY THESE DAYS

I will obviously no longer be able to restrict my daily walks to daylight. Sunset in Chicago is around 4:30PM and that time is going to be heading to 4:00PM as the weeks progress.  On Thursday, I made no effort to even try to catch daylight. I set out, armed with my goofy looking headlamp on my goofy looking hat and took a seven mile urban hike which took me to the Chicago Lakefront. There were parts along the path where there really was no light and the headlamp was useful and highly necessary. I recall that in years past, the only flashlight I had was the lame one that is built into my iphone. The headlamp, does a great job lighting the path ahead. 

Your Food Diary For:

Thursday, November 9, 2017

BREAKFAST	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
Eggs - Poached	300	2	20	26	600	2
Turkey Bacon Slices	240	0	9	30	1,440	0
	540	2	29	56	2,040	2
L U N C H
Campbell's Manhattan Clam Chowder	240	36	6	10	1,600	6
Egg Salad Sandwich	300	38	18	20	285	4
Wasa - Sourdough Crispbread	105	27	0	3	135	0
	645	101	24	33	2,020	10
D I N N E R
Simply the Best Trek Mix	600	52	40	16	60	28
	600	52	40	16	60	28
S N A C K S
Snickers - Ice Cream Bar	250	25	15	4	80	21
	250	25	15	4	80	21
Totals	2,035	180	108	109	4,200	61
Your Daily Goal	3,141	392	104	158	2,300	117
Remaining	1,106	212	-4	49	-1,900	56
	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
	*You've earned 1,211 extra calories from exercise today

If every day were like today...   You'd weigh 212.8 lbs in 5 weeks.

THURSDAY NIGHT LIGHTS

Yesterday my alarm started blaring at 5:00AM. by 6:00AM, I was on the road on the way to Goshen, Indiana. I returned in the late afternoon, with enough time to walk over to the local stadium where my daughter's high school team was playing football. My daughter is a cheerleader. So, for us in Chicago, it was 'Thursday Night Lights.' The infection in the NFL of players disrespecting the National Anthem and the American Flag, as has been well documented, has spread to high schools all across the United States. My daughter's school is not immune. Four morons on the football team took a knee, and scores of students couldn't be bothered to stand for the National Anthem. Apparently, the coach of the Cheerleading squad informed the girls that that behavior was not to be tolerated. Finally, someone in charge of kids, shows some leadership skills and exerts their authority as they should. Yeah, Thursday Night Lights ain't what it used to be in America. It is maddening and it is sad. 

Speaking of sports... How about those New York Yankees? They were down two games to none in a best of five series against the Cleveland Indians. They won three games in a row, and they have progressed to the American League Championship Series. Way to go, Yankees!

Your Food Diary For:

Thursday, October 12, 2017

BREAKFAST	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
Quaker Oats Instant Grits	300	66	5	6	930	0
	300	66	5	6	930	0
L U N C H
Chick-fil-a - Original-Chicken Sandwich, 1 sandwich	440	41	18	28	1,390	5
Chick-fil-a - Grilled Chicken Sandwich, 1 sandwich	320	40	5	30	800	7
	760	81	23	58	2,190	12
D I N N E R
Sushi - Spicy Tuna Maki	400	40	16	21	0	0
	400	40	16	21	0	0
S N A C K S
Trader Joes - Pumpkin O's	220	50	2	4	280	18
Snack Cheese	100	0	9	6	163	0
Yogurt Almonds	300	30	19	5	27	26
	620	80	30	15	470	44
Totals	2,080	267	74	100	3,590	56
Your Daily Goal	2,994	374	99	150	2,300	112
Remaining	914	107	25	50	-1,290	56
	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
	*You've earned 1,064 extra calories from exercise today

If every day were like today...   You'd weigh 223.5 lbs in 5 weeks     

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DAY NIGHT DOUBLEHEADER

Normally a 'day night doubleheader' refers to the two games a baseball plays in the same day, the first game in the early afternoon and the second game a night game. My version of a 'day night doubleheader' was my 90 minute elliptical workout at 6AM followed by an early evening 8 mile walk later that same day. I definitely enjoy being active. My walk included a visit to Navy Pier where I saw the brand-new Ferris Wheel which is now rebuilt and will be making its public debut later today. It is likely that our family will bring our French guest to this iconic Chicago landmark tomorrow.

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Your Food Diary For:

Thursday, May 26, 2016

BREAKFAST	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
Egg, whole, cooked, poached, 3 large	215	1	14	19	446	1
Butterball - Bacon Style Turkey	140	2	12	8	600	0
Toast White No Butter	300	48	8	11	510	6
Granola Bar - Oats'n Honey	190	29	7	3	180	11
	845	80	41	40	1,736	18
L U N C H
Real Foods - Corn Thins Organic	575	100	0	13	325	0
Red Delicious Apple, 2 medium apple	190	50	1	1	4	38
	765	150	1	14	329	38
D I N N E R
Homemade Soft Tacos	870	0	14	12	2,700	6
	870	0	14	12	2,700	6
S N A C K S
Snappy Ginger Cookies	260	46	7	2	240	22
	260	46	7	2	240	22
Totals	2,740	276	62	68	5,004	83
Your Daily Goal	4,552	569	151	228	2,300	170
Remaining	1,812	292	89	160	-2,704	86
	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
	*You've earned 2,622 extra calories from exercise today

Your Exercise Diary for:

      Thursday, May 26, 2016

Cardiovascular	Minutes	Calories Burned
STAR TRAC ELLIPTICAL	92	1,187
Walking	102	1,646
MFP iOS calorie adjustment	N/A	-211
Add Exercise Quick Tools
Daily Total / Goal	195 / 30	2,622 / 590
Weekly Total / Goal	461 / 210	5,546 / 4,130

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NO ISSUES WITH TRISKAIDEKAPHOBIA

I enjoyed my first day at 217 lbs since July 4th of this year.  My lowest weight during the past year was 213.9 lbs on April 25th.  My recent high over the past few months 226.9 lbs which by sheer coincidence was the actual day that I purchased my fitbit.  Perhaps I am completely wrong (as I often am) and it was not coincidence at all.  In the 79 days that I have been a 'fitbitter' I have dropped 10 pounds.  With that success so apparent, there was no way that I was going to let a sloppy, rainy, cold, snowy, and icy day thwart my daily 10 mile walk.  Before the day ended, I logged my 13th consecutive day of walking 10 miles outdoors.  (I have no issues with triskaidekaphobia!)

Once the snow stopped, the air was crystal clear and I snapped this photo from the lakefront as I approached the 9th mile of my 10 mile walk.

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I did have some morning errands to attend to, and the combination of rain/snow/sleet did not make a morning walk seem like an amazingly great idea.  I waited until late afternoon.  The precipitation had ended although it was cold outside.  Conditions when I began my walk were less than ideal - although much better than conditions in the early morning.

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Your Food Diary For:

Saturday, November 21, 2015

BREAKFAST	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
365 Organic - Water Crackers, 8 crackers	140	24	3	2	100	0
STARBUCKS - BACON & GOUDA BREAKFAST SANDWICH, 1 sandwich	350	30	18	17	820	0
Starbucks - Reduced-fat Turkey Bacon Sandwich, 0.5 sandwich	115	14	3	7	280	2
Sage - Red Delicious Apple, 2 medium apple (170g)	190	50	1	1	4	38
Add Food Quick Tools	795	118	25	27	1,204	39
L U N C H
Kashi - Cherry Dark Chocolate Chewy Granola Bar, 2 bar (35g)	240	48	4	10	130	16
Add Food Quick Tools	240	48	4	10	130	16
D I N N E R
Sage - Red Delicious Apple, 2 medium apple	190	50	1	1	4	38
WHOLE FOODS 8497 - CHERRY VANILLA GRANOLA, 110 g (3/4 cup)	480	80	14	10	120	30
WHOLE FOODS 8738 - DRIED MANGO SLICES, 40 g (approx 6 pieces)	110	28	0	2	1	20
WHOLE FOODS 9246 - 100% RAW CACAO GOJI, 70 g (approx 2 chunks)	250	38	15	5	13	25
Add Food Quick Tools	1,030	196	30	18	137	113
S N A C K S
Dark Chocolate Covered Raisins - Whole Foods, 35 raisins	160	27	7	1	40	22
Add Food Quick Tools	160	27	7	1	40	22
Totals	2,225	389	65	56	1,511	190
Your Daily Goal	4,967	621	165	249	2,300	186
Remaining	2,742	232	99	193	789	-4
	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
	*You've earned 3,037 extra calories from exercise today

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       Your Exercise Diary for:

Saturday, November 21, 2015

Cardiovascular	Minutes	Calories Burned
Walking, 4.5 mph, very, very brisk pace	129	2,017
MFP iOS calorie adjustment	N/A	1,020
Add Exercise Quick Tools
Daily Total / Goal	130 / 30	3,037 / 590
Weekly Total / Goal	914 / 210	15,945 / 4,130

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total calories consumed 3917 calories
total calories burned (20 miles, four walks) 4289 calories
total net calories 372 calories deficit
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fitbit day 80

42114 steps

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ten mile walking streak reached 13 days

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Even whenI look at these photos... and I ask myself: What am I so happy about?  I think I know.  It is that my 10 mile walk in dark freezing temperatures is coming to a conclusion.  I learned last evening that my leather gloves are simply not effective for combatting cold if one is out and about for two hours.

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triskaidekaphobia
noun tris·kai·deka·pho·bia \ˌtris-ˌkī-ˌde-kə-ˈfō-bē-ə, ˌtris-kə-\
Definition of TRISKAIDEKAPHOBIA
:  fear of the number 13