OH, GOOD GRIEF!

Today, a musing on the upcoming election. Contrary to what our chief executive claimed 8 years ago - There ARE blue states and there ARE red states. Similarly there are liberal Americans and there are conservative Americans. It is difficult for me to fathom someone being attracted to Hillary Clinton due to her honesty and integrity. But if you are a liberal - I get it - she's your choice. Likewise it is difficult for me to fathom someone being attracted to Donald Trump due to his honesty and integrity. But if you are a conservative (like me) - I get it - he's your choice. Here is what I don't get. If you are a conservative and you simply cannot vote for Donald Trump, because of his myriad imperfections - you are an unserious thinker. You are casting a vote for Hillary. I hope that your brand of silliness doesn't catch on. If you are a liberal and you simply cannot vote for Hillary Clinton, because of her myriad imperfections - you, too,  are an unserious thinker. (However, I would like to thank you, and I hope that this brand of silliness does become popular.) You will be casting a vote for Donald Trump. Americans have often thought that the presidential elections have come down to the choice between the lesser of two evils - but never have BOTH candidates combined their 'evilness' with an intense unlikeability factor.  In the immortal words of that famous philosopher, Charlie Brown: 'OH, GOOD GRIEF!'

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Many Americans woke up this morning to the news that Great Britain has voted to leave the European Union.  This was the so-called 'Brexit' vote. I think one can make a case that this vote to smash another institution may be part of a worldwide phenomenon. My bet is that Hillary Clinton is just a bit more nervous today. 

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Your Food Diary For:

Thursday, June 23, 2016

BREAKFAST	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
Kelloggs - Raisin Bran Cereal, 118 g	380	92	2	10	420	36
Enriched instant grits, butter flavor	300	63	5	6	1,020	0
Thomas' - Cinnamon Raisin Bread	160	32	2	4	250	14
Red Delicious Apple, 2 medium apple	190	50	1	1	4	38
	1,030	237	9	21	1,694	88
L U N C H
Footlong Steak and Cheese	760	96	20	52	2,060	16
Banana - Banana, 1 medium banana	124	30	0	1	1	19
	884	126	20	53	2,061	35
D I N N E R
Whitefish, Lightly Blackened	750	0	7	163	7,109	0
Spinach Quiche	290	18	19	14	440	4
	1,040	18	26	177	7,549	4
S N A C K S
Soft-baked Oatmeal Bar - Cinnamon	230	35	8	4	190	13
Whole Cashews - Unsalted	200	11	15	6	0	3
	430	46	23	10	190	16
Totals	3,384	427	78	261	11,494	142
Your Daily Goal	3,125	390	104	157	2,300	117
Remaining	-259	-37	26	-104	-9,194	-25
	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
	*You've earned 1,195 extra calories from exercise today

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       Your Exercise Diary for:

Thursday, June 23, 2016

Cardiovascular	Minutes	Calories Burned
STAR TRAC ELLIPTICAL	97	1,269
MFP iOS calorie adjustment	N/A	-74
Daily Total / Goal	98 / 30	1,195 / 590
Weekly Total / Goal	460 / 210	4,688 / 4,130

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Mt. AIRY FOREST in CINCINNATI, OHIO

Summertime is hiking time. During the cold dark months of late fall, winter and early spring it is appropriate to workout indoors. As much as possible, with increased hours of light and warm temperatures it is best to get outside (and forgo the joys of netflix). Yesterday afternoon after visiting customers, and after the Cincinnati temperatures had 'cooled' to 88° it was time to take a hike. I drove to the Mt. Airy Forest where I expected to find a number of trails. If I was without my MapMyWalk app, I would have been quite nervous as I would have not known in what direction I was traveling or how to get back. The app solves that problem and lays down the path one has travelled always on a real map of the area. Although the trails are not part of the this app - the roads that surround the the park are always present. As long as one's battery is charged, and a cell signal is available - one always knows where one is, and how to return to the point of origin (aka one's parked car). Quite a handy feature!

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Showing my 'Payton' pride in a shirt that I recently picked up at a thrift store.

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Part of my hike had me sharing the road with automobiles - this was a welcome sign.

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After all the twist and turns, the hike was completed after I had walked 11 miles.

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Cincinnati is on the western edge of the Eastern Time Zone - therefore sunset arrives after 9PM. 

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Your Food Diary For:

Monday, June 20, 2016

BREAKFAST	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
Kellogg's - Fruit Loops Cereal	550	130	5	5	675	60
	550	130	5	5	675	60
L U N C H
Apple Cinnamon Rice Cake, 14 Cake	700	154	0	14	0	42
	700	154	0	14	0	42
D I N N E R
Vegetable Fried Rice	250	32	11	5	216	1
Sweet and Sour Seitan	400	54	15	17	1,166	38
Prosciutto	100	0	7	11	815	0
Cantalope - Fruit	100	24	0	2	2	23
	850	111	32	36	2,199	62
S N A C K S
Red Delicious Apple, 3 medium apple	285	75	1	2	5	57
MILK CHOCOLATE CHERRIES	100	14	6	1	6	12
YOGURT RAISINS	150	25	6	1	13	22
Wasabi Peas	150	22	3	7	245	4
DARK CHOCOLATE GINGER	170	29	7	1	5	25
	855	165	22	11	274	119
Totals	2,955	559	60	66	3,148	284
Your Daily Goal	3,537	442	118	177	2,300	132
Remaining	582	-117	58	111	-847	-151
	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
	*You've earned 1,607 extra calories from exercise today

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Your Exercise Diary for:

Monday, June 20, 2016

Cardiovascular	Minutes	Calories Burned
Walking	185	1,681
MFP iOS calorie adjustment	N/A	-74
Daily Total / Goal	186 / 30	1,607 / 590
Weekly Total / Goal	186 / 210	1,607 / 4,130

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one last thought...I am a city boy, anytime I see natural wildlife, I find it particularly exciting. A couple of weeks ago, while hiking in the Indiana Dunes, I spotted a wild turkey. Yesterday while hiking a trail in Cincinnati, I was brought to a stop as there was a snake on the trail. Before I could snap a photo, it slithered away. Back in my hotel, I tried to figure out what kind of snake I might have seen, but that was impossible as there are many types of snakes that could be found in this part of the country. The last time I saw a snake was on a trail at the base of Devil's Tower in Wyoming about 4 years ago. Other than that, I have no memory of ever seeing a snake in its natural habitat. It is somewhat jarring, even if they are not dangerous. 

SEAN CONNERY

At the International Quilt Show in Houston, I continued to see people that I have not seen in over a year.  My body certainly casts a different shadow than the one it cast one year ago.  One year ago, in this very same city at this very same show, I weighed north of 300 lbs.  Fast forward one year later and I am 'only' 219 lbs.  There were a few people that I saw over the past two days that were 'shocked' at my new look.  A few people asked if I had lost this weight by design, half afraid that I might be suffering from some horrible illness responsible for this loss of poundage.  I am used to this line of questioning.  I take great pleasure in explaining that this change in physique has been purposeful.  In years past, I almost never hung out with my colleagues much longer after 11:00PM or Midnight as I was simply too tired.  I still do not aspire to do this every night - but it is fun to have enough energy to decide to join my colleagues after dinner once in a while.  Sometimes, things get accomplished in the wee hours of the evening.  After dinner, our group walked over to another hotel closer to the convention center where many of our Quilt Market associates are staying.  Aside from having some fun, drinking a couple (or a few drinks) I did run into one of my customers that I wished to see here at the show. I spoke with her and she and did promise to visit my booth today.  This little detail can't happen if I am holed up in my hotel room instead of mixing it up every once in a while.  I also met a customer of my brother, from Oregon, who denied that she had ever met me before. It's not like we are best friends or anything - but I do know that I barely resemble that blob that I used to be.  This woman told me that I looked like Sean Connery.  

I don't really think I look like Sean Connery - but I sure ain't offended to hear it

I am sure that it is highly possible that she was drinking a bit too much. But you know what.... I have been around inebriated people before and no one in my entire life has ever told me that I looked like anyone that I would want to look like.  For example, being told that I looked like John Goodman could have potentially happened but who would have wanted to be told that in the past. 

It would have been no compliment to be told that I looked like John Goodman in the past. It would be OK to be told that now as John Goodman recently shed a lot of weight.  Nevertheless, he has a lot of hair atop his head - so it is very unlikely that I would be told that I looked like him.  Still, I have always admired him as an actor.

By the way, John Goodman, has recently lost a lot of weight and he looks good too!  I still don't look like him, as he has a full head of hair.  Me and Sean Connery do apparently have the baldness thing in common.  It is likely that that is the only thing that we do have in common.  Still, hearing that comment that I resembled Connery made me smile.  Sean Connery has been the guy that I have always considered the number one best looking guy on the planet.  If some people want to believe that I look like him - who am I to argue?

Your Food Diary For:

Sunday, October 25, 2015

BREAKFAST	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
Quaker - Instant Oatmeal- Maple, 2 packet	320	64	4	8	520	24
FORRELLI - MULTIGRAIN RICE CAKES, 18 SLICE	360	72	0	0	360	0
Apples - Apples, 3 medium apple	240	66	0	0	0	48
	920	202	4	8	880	72
L U N C H
FORRELLI - MULTIGRAIN RICE CAKES, 18 SLICE	360	72	0	0	360	0
WHOLE FOODS 7882 - GIN GINS ORIGINAL CHEWY GINGER, 96 g (2pcs)	320	80	0	0	0	80
Apples - Apples, 2 medium apple	160	44	0	0	0	32
	840	196	0	0	360	112
D I N N E R
Generic - Mahi Mahi, 3.5 oz.	108	0	1	24	112	0
Trader Joe's - Jumbo Sea Scallops - Frozen, 8 oz/113 g	200	6	2	38	360	0
Steak - 8 Oz Sirloin, 0.5 slice	228	0	14	23	0	0
Great Value - Can Corn, 0.5 cup	60	9	2	2	10	0
bread - French, 138 g	360	72	3	15	840	3
	956	87	22	102	1,322	3
S N A C K S
Dewars - Scotch 1 oz. Shot, 6 oz.	414	0	0	0	0	0
	414	0	0	0	0	0
Totals	3,130	485	26	110	2,562	187
Your Daily Goal	2,302	288	76	116	2,300	86
Remaining	-828	-197	50	6	-262	-101
	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
TOTAL CALORIES CONSUMED 3130 CALORIES CALORIES BURNED ZERO CALORIES TOTAL NET CALORIES 3130 CALORIES ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  fitbit day 53 14220 steps ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~