Fore

I saw some golf training aids on tv the other day. There were also some ads for a school that could train you to be a teaching Pro. My niece's boyfriend is doing that right now. I think that that might be an ok job, but unfortunately I'm not very good so I don't think I'd even qualify. Plus working with people has never been one of my strong suits. I just hear the word golf and I'm interested by default.

I've long said that a touring Pro has to be one of the best jobs on the planet. How much fun would that be?

New Plan

If you were to ask me what I thought about the latest Decaslim reviews, I would have to admit that I haven't read them. However, if you were to ask me what I was working on in the gym, and I would tell you that I plan to find out today at 12:30.

Pete one of the trainers here, has been working on a new plan for me, and I'm meeting with him today to go over it. I want to be consistant with my workouts and I'm happy to have a new plan. My one problem is that I don't have very specific goals. I'd love to see my abs but I'm not sure I have the body type for that, or if I have built enough muscle yet. This plan should help with those.

Stain

I had a really good Memorial Day weekend. We got a lot done and had some fun as well. We stained the deck, pulled weeds, and fit in some fun time. I did not spend any time reading diet pill reviews but the cookout I went to on Sunday was a lot of fun.

Staining the deck was a lot of work but it needed it badly. Most of the old stain had worn off, and it was relatively unprotected. It really needs a second coat but that will have to wait until next year as I don't have it in me again this Spring. At least it's better off than it was by a long shot.

The Back Nine

I played golf last night in the league for the second time. This time on the back nine. I actually played pretty well. I generally am happy with anything under 50 back there as it is really long and there aren't a lot of opportunities to score. I shot a 49 so given that and my limited schedule this year I definitely feel pleased.

Rick and Dansko played pretty well as well. They won their match and moved up in the standings. It's still early though so hopefully we can hang in there. I play again next week so we'll see how it goes.

Eye Stick

Apparently lip stick is not meant to be applied to the skin. At least not on any skin that does not cover a lip. Kerrigan, who is three, mistook the lipstick for eye makeup and and had a nice pink shade around her eyes for several days. We had no eye cream to remove it and just had to let it wear off. I had no idea that lipstick could be that hard to remove.

I wonder how many other kinds of makeup can cause such craziness. I'm guessing the messy possibilities are endless.

Molly

I need to get on the internet later and pick up some pet supplies. I've found that it is a lot cheaper to buy heart pills and stuff like that for our dog online. We have also bought frontline on there before. You have to jump through a few hoops but it definitely saves some time.

The only hang up is that you may need to call your vet and have them authorize the transaction by issuing a prescription. If they are cool with that then you can save some money, if not then you may need to look for a new vet.

Cavs

Well it's not looking good for Cleveland again. What else is new. The series isn't officially over but the Cavs have their work cut out for them.

I thought this might be the year that Cleveland finally broke through and got a title. I really hope that Lebron stays in Cleveland because he will eventually win a title. I just hope he wins it with the Cavs.

Old Fashioned Paper

I recently read my first ever book online. Ebooks, netbooks, or whatever you want to call them have never really taken off, however. To me it just doesn't feel the same, or comfortable, to read a book online.

I love audio books in the car, and the standard old fashioned paper kind but the online kind just doesn't seem to work for me. Amazon now has this hand held reader that you can get. It works basically like a PDA that you can download books onto. It's made for easy reading. It can go with you like a book but has the advantage of being online. Somehow I'm just not so sure about that either. I love the idea of having all my books in my pocket at once, like a reader ipod, but could I get used to reading from a screen all the time? The advantage of having any book I wanted would probably win out in the end.

HD at home?

Someone told me recently that if you want to watch something in HD and you have a normal lcd monitor for your computer that you can use that. Is that true? Does it depend on the video card you have? Do you have to max out your resolution?

Seems too good to be true to me. For the record, I understand that blue ray discs won't work. I'm just talking about getting an HD signal through your computer via cable or satellite.

Has anyone tried this? I don't plan to, but I was just curious. I just didn't expect that to be possible.

House Hunters

I love that show. Even now that we have moved and have no plans to willingly move ever again, I still find it interesting. I know nothing about Wilmington NC real estate or any other city for that matter but there is just something fun and adventurous about looking at new houses that captures my attention.

I enjoyed it last year when we were looking and now that we are settled in I watch less but it still draws me in from time to time. It's funny how such a simple concept can suck you in like that. TV people are smart.

Biggest Loser 7 Finale

I was pretty shocked on all fronts I have to say. Both the at home winner (Jerry) and the overall winner (Helen) were total surprises. I thought that Helen was an also-ran for sure when compared to the unbeatable Tara Costa and Mike having lost so much weight at the ranch with the added benefit of his Dad's motivation at home.

Still it was a great finale. It's always good to see people making positive changes. I just hope people aren't waiting for their turn on the show before getting started.

I'd also like to call out Buckeye Nation and ask why Erin was allowed to lose the contest for being a contestant next season? I understand we Buckeyes are getting used to finishing second but come on! I expected better!

Here We Go Again

I saw some phenphedrine reviews lately, and it just makes me shake my head. Haven't you guys learned your lesson from the hydroxycut folks? This stuff isn't regulated and who knows what it could be doing to your body. Even if it is FDA approved, which I'm not sure if it is or isn't, that doesn't mean that it's safe. Fast food is legal to sell but if you eat enough fries you'll have a heart attack. Don't expect the government to protect you. Stay informed and make good choices. Stick with healthy eating and exercising and you'll be much better off in the long run.

Money Laying Around?

I don't really like jewelry that much. Neither does my wife in fact. You would never find an "I heart jewelry" bumper sticker on her car. I hate bumper stickers too but that is another post.

No we don't really care for it much, but despite that we have collected a bit over the years. Recently we discovered a company that will take old jewelry and give you some cash for it. No not the cheesy "cash for gold" company you see on tv. These guys are Christian based I believe and some friends of ours already had some good results.

We sent in what little we had so we'll see if we get much out of it. We weren't wearing the jewelry so it's like free money to me.

Outside

I love being outside at our new house. Despite the smaller yard, and lack of woods and river to look at. It's just better for some reason. I think not having a fence helps because going out always seemed like a hassle when I had to open gates.

I also just love sitting on the swing here. I didn't care for that as much before. On a side note, isn't it amazing how those outdoor cushions can be soft without getting nasty after being rained on countless times? Ok, well I at least think it's cool.

Where To Spend On Weight Loss

The only money you should be spending as far as weight loss products goes should be on things like, workout books, fruits, and vegetables. Those are the best weight loss products on the market and have been proven over and over. Just look at what happened to all the hydroxycut customers. Now they are having to worry about their liver health. Don't take the short cuts. They only do more harm in the long run. Build a healthy body the right way, and you won't be sorry.

Inner Banks

Is there such a place as the Inner Banks? I always wonder with directionally named places if it is an attempt to differentiate or simply a lack of creativity. What is in the East wing of the White House for instance?

I'm guessing that if there is an Inner Banks, it is probably not exciting and just houses all the rentals. As far as the East Wing of the White House? I'm guessing that that is the politically correct way of calling someone liberal, or something.

Interesting

More Evidence Against The "Quick Fix"

FDA warns dieters: Stop Hydroxycut use immediately

courtesy of Yahoo News

By RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR, Associated Press Writer Ricardo Alonso-zaldivar, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON – Government health officials warned dieters and body builders Friday to immediately stop using Hydroxycut, a widely sold supplement linked to cases of serious liver damage and at least one death.

The Food and Drug Administration said the maker of the dietary supplement has agreed to recall 14 Hydroxycut products. Available in grocery stores and pharmacies, Hydroxycut is advertised as made from natural ingredients. At least 9 million packages were sold last year, the FDA said.

Dr. Linda Katz of the FDA's food and nutrition division said the agency has received 23 reports of liver problems, including the death of a 19-year-old boy living in the Southwest. The teenager died in 2007, and the death was reported to the FDA this March.

Other patients experienced symptoms ranging from jaundice, or yellowing of the skin, to liver failure. One received a transplant and another was placed on a list to await a new liver.

There was no immediate comment from the U.S. distributor of the diet pill, Iovate Health Sciences, headquartered near Buffalo, N.Y. Made by a Canadian company, Hydroxycut is used by people trying to shed pounds and by body builders to sharpen their muscles.

Dietary supplements aren't as tightly regulated by the government as medications. Manufacturers don't need to prove to the FDA that their products are safe and effective before they can sell them to consumers. But regulators monitor aftermarket reports for signs of trouble, and in recent years companies have been put under stricter requirements to alert the FDA when they learn of problems.

Katz said it has taken so long to get a handle on the Hydroxycut problem because the cases of liver damage were rare and the FDA has no authority to review supplements before they're marketed. "Part of the problem is that the FDA looks at dietary supplements from a post-market perspective, and an isolated incident is often difficult to follow," she said.

The FDA relies on voluntary reports to detect such problems, and many cases are never reported, officials acknowledge.

Health officials said they have been unable to determine which Hydroxycut ingredients are potentially toxic, partially because the formulation of the products has changed several times. A medical journal report last month raised questions about one ingredient, hydroxycitric acid, derived from a tropical fruit. The article said it could potentially damage the liver.

Of Mice And Me

We thought at one point that this year would be our excuse to go to Disney. Our denomination is having the national convention in Orlando this year but it just didn't work out for us to go.

Frankly, it's probably for the best as our kids are still a bit too little to fully enjoy it. I'm sure though that I will be in the Orlando vacations market sometime in the next few years. Combining that with my hopes in the previous post, I'm starting to wonder if there will ever be a time that I'm not saving for something. Granted, it's better than being in debt but it's a little frustrating to think about.

It will be a great memory though, and one I really want to give our kids so I'm sure we'll try our best to make it happen.

Big and Shiny

I really want a big TV. I'm not sure why really other than HD is really cool and the giant TV wall mount LCD's are sooo cool. My hope is that someday I will be able to get one when we finish the basement. It would be the perfect addition to the new living room we want to add down there.

I really hope we can get our stuff paid off and enough money saved to do that soon, but even if everything happens exactly according to plan it will probably be a couple years. Hopefully it won't take much longer than that as I can't wait to start enjoying the space and I want our girls to have their own rooms before too long.

BUGS!!!

It's that time of year again. I need to get Frontline ordered for our pets because for whatever reason, the bugs are a lot worse at our new house despite, being on land with virtually no trees, and away from the forest and river that we used to live near.

It doesn't make any sense but the fact is, they are worse here. I have already had to remove a tick from my little boy this spring.

We also have ants like crazy. Ant traps seem to keep them under control but we can't let any piece of food stay on the floor for long or they come out of everywhere.

We also have TONS of flies, which I can thank the nearby pig farm for.

Despite all this I still love our house and and glad we bought it but it just means that we will need to take some serious preventative action for bugs once we can afford it.

Body Fat

I'm kind of excited because I have been making a lot of progress at the gym and at the dinner table lately and I'm hoping that my body fat has come down from last month. The lowest I have ever been, was about 13 percent, I think. That was back a long time ago in the days when I was trying really hard to achieve low body fat with low calories and not really enough muscle on my frame. I've spent a good portion of the last 6 months or so trying to add some muscle and I think I have, although my weight didn't go up much. My body fat, last month, however was at 17.5%. So I'm hoping that my new approach the last few months will show up in the numbers on Monday when I get it checked again. I'd be happy with anything under 15.5%, but regardless, I know I'm making progress. My goal is to got to about 10%. Progress is the key, I don't expect it to happen over night, I just want affirmation that I'm on the right track.

Leptin

Apparently the big fitness idea that has been lighting up the KVM switch of most networks lately is the hormone leptin. A lot of people in the fitness profession have blogged about it this week, and despite not being a fitness pro myself, I didn't want to be left out.

Apparently leptin is a protein based hormone that tells your body that everything is good, when you are getting enough calories, and puts you into fat storage and hungry mode when you are not. The idea then is that in order to lose weight, you need to create a calorie deficit while at the same time tricking your body into thinking that you are getting plenty to eat.

This is done by employing everyone's favorite dieting technique. Cheating. Supposedly, high carb and high sugar foods really affect your leptin levels and can bring them back to normal pretty quickly. Fortunately, it takes about a week for them to come back down from dieting as well.

So if you haven't put two and two together yet, a once a week cheat day is not only good for you psychologically, but physically!

A New Goal

I have a new goal for this post. Scott Adams, the creator of Dilbert, has a pretty good blog that I read regularly. He is also an avid user of the Google Alerts tool, which I also use. So my goal for this post it to mention Scott Adams and Dilbert enough times to get his attention and get him to post about me.

It would probably help my efforts greatly if I had some clever idea to get Scott Adams attention or some funny line that would get Scott Adams away from drawing Dilbert for long enough to pay attention. Unfortunately Scott Adams is a much funnier person than I am and so I'm not sure if I could come up with anything funny enough. Certainly nothing Dilbert worthy.

So in closing I doubt that I will be able to get Scott Adams attention, but if I were able to get Scott Adams attention then I would like to tell him that I really like Scott Adams blog and Scott Adams cartoons and hope that Scott Adams continues to do both for a long time.

Also I would like to know how soon Scott Adams will be drawing a Dilbert comic in which the Elbonian pig somehow gets the swine flu.