Friday, January 31

Post 1071, Day 31 of 2014
- 1,129 days since I started this blog -

Daily Comment

I am going to visit Florida in the early Spring. There are a few people I want to see, and the odds of their ever coming to Syracuse are remote.

At best.

I don't mind. I've never shied away from travel, although it has lost much of the allure I attached to it over the years. Still, I have rarely found that the ever-less-glamorous aspects of travel outweigh the value of my destination.

But travel for its own sake has stopped being attractive to me. As a means to an end, like visiting family and friends, or a vacation destination (typically, a better climate, new experience, cultural event), I will make the effort and discount the discomfort or inconvenience. 

My 'road trip' days? I think I have one left in me, before my amateur traveler status expires.

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 Food and Diet Section

January to June, 2014 Daily Weight

Today's Weight:         207.4 lbs

Previous Weight:        206.8 lbs

Day Net Loss/Gain:      + 0.6 lbs

Diet Comment

I do believe that yesterday's late night high-carb, high-fat snack is showing up on the scales. And the Jameson's. And a certain amount of momentum.

Food Log 

Breakfast

A cacao kale protein shake (almond milk, kale, a large egg, raw organic cacao powder, whey powder (36g protein), cinnamon and stevia-inulin blend). And a donut when I got to work (fail!).

Lunch

Salmon and egg salad on baby kale, baby spinach, chard and cole slaw mix with balsamic vinaigrette.

Dinner

Chicken-feta-spinach sausage with Shahi Rajma (Red kidney bean curry) and cauliflower.

Snack

Dark Sinphony ice cream. A lot. A whole lot.

Liquid Intake

   Coffee:  36 oz.   Water: 92+ oz. and a shot of Jameson's.

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Thursday, January 30

Post 1070, Day 30 of 2014
- 1,125 days since I started this blog -

Daily Comment

Thinking a lot about being lazy. 

I like lazy, it turns out, and I'm pretty damn good at it. But while I'm not lazy all the time, I do a lot of things the lazy way: Choosing the most efficient approach to a thing, the way that requires the least effort on my part.

Not a bad thing, although, combined with procrastination things do tend to pile up.

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 Food and Diet Section

January to June, 2014 Daily Weight

Today's Weight:         206.8 lbs

Previous Weight:        205.6 lbs

Day Net Loss/Gain:      + 1.2 lbs

Diet Comment

After yesterday's dining, this was expected.

Food Log 

Breakfast

Skipped.

Lunch

Chicken-feta-spinach sausage with eggs and sauteed onions, peppers, baby kale and baby spinach.

Dinner

Roasted turkey breast on Spring Mix greens, baby kale and cole slaw blend with balsamic vinaigrette.

Snack

Roasted turkey breast with guacamole and hummus.

Liquid Intake

   Coffee:  36 oz.   Water: 92+ oz. and a shot of Jameson's.

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Wednesday, January 29 - Happy Birthday!

Post 1069, Day 29 of 2014
- 1,124 days since I started this blog -

Daily Comment

It's "Happy  Birthday" to me!

Which I celebrated by getting my new hearing aids adjusted, including picking up an awesome remote cordless microphone/iPhone adapter, having a tube shortened, and taking delivery of a pair of custom musician's ear plugs (flat frequency attenuators).

Then, I celebrated dinner with a bunch of my closest friends (mostly musicians), at Eskapes. A wonderful evening.

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 Food and Diet Section

January to June, 2014 Daily Weight

Today's Weight:         205.6 lbs

Previous Weight:        209.6 lbs

Day Net Loss/Gain:      - 4.0 lbs

Diet Comment

I am continuing to shed the weekend's weight-gain, but tonight I undid at least some of that good work.

Food Log 

Breakfast

Skipped.

Lunch

At Ruby Tuesday's: 

Bacon-cheddar sirloin burger and spaghetti squash. Not shown: Salad bar: greens, mushrooms, green peppers, cucumbers, chopped egg, bacon bits, blue cheese dressing.

Dinner

At Eskapes: Lentil soup, then "Chef's Choice" - as always. Tonight, it was blackened shrimp, scallops,and mahi-mahi with bacon on spicy sauteed vegetables. The birthday cake was a carrot cake. I couldn't blow out all 6 candles (what's up with that?), but no matter, all my wishes have already come true.

Snack

Blueberry protein smoothie (blueberries, almond milk, whey protein powder (36g), stevia-inulin blend).

Liquid Intake

   Coffee:  24 oz.   Water: 50+ oz. and a glass of pinot noir.

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Tuesday, January 28

Post 1068, Day 28 of 2014
- 1,123 days since I started this blog -

Daily Comment

Continuing my celebration-themed week, i am Fool had a rehearsal, and after, went out to an open mic. 

Music is how I celebrate everything. And eating. 

And breathing. Whew!

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 Food and Diet Section

January to June, 2014 Daily Weight

Today's Weight:         209.6 lbs

Previous Weight:        214.2 lbs

Day Net Loss/Gain:      - 4.6 lbs

Diet Comment

I knew getting back on plan would have immediate positive effects. I'm not regretting a thing. Quite the opposite, I've been conscious of what I was doing, enjoyed it, took it for the exception it was, and am grateful for it all.

Food Log 

Breakfast

Skipped.

Lunch

A cacao kale protein shake (almond milk, kale, a large egg, raw organic cacao powder, whey powder (40g protein), cinnamon and stevia-inulin blend).

Dinner

Pepperoni.

Liquid Intake

   Coffee:  32 oz.   Water: 84+ oz. and a shot of Jameson's Irish Whiskey at midnight!

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Monday, January 27

Post 1067, Day 27 of 2014
- 1,122 days since I started this blog -

Daily Comment

I am back, having had an amazing good time, seen my friends and the New York branch of my family. I ate a lot of wonderful food. Great food. I didn't even try to stay on plan, just said, "Yes!" to everything...

My gratitude is endless.

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 Food and Diet Section

January to June, 2014 Daily Weight

Today's Weight:         214.2 lbs

Previous Weight:        206.8 lbs

Day Net Loss/Gain:      + 7.4 lbs

Diet Comment

I thought I might gain ten pounds, and I gained less than eight, so good. I had a great time, ate a lot of wonderful food, and I'm not going to bother worrying about my weight. Today's weight is actual, the previous two days' weight is estimated.

Food Log 

Breakfast

Skipped.

Lunch

A cacao kale protein shake (almond milk, kale, a large egg, raw organic cacao powder, whey powder (40g protein), cinnamon and stevia-inulin blend).

Dinner

Roasted turkey breast with cole slaw and a salad of kale and Spring Mix greens with balsamic vinaigrette.

Liquid Intake

   Coffee:  24 oz.   Water: 72+ oz. 

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Friday, January 24

Post 1066, Day 24 of 2014
- 1,119 days since I started this blog -

Daily Comment

I am heading into the City today - no updates until Monday.

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 Food and Diet Section

January to June, 2014 Daily Weigh

Today's Weight:         206.4 lbs

Previous Weight:        204.8 lbs

Day Net Loss/Gain:      + 1.6 lbs

Diet Comment

Today, and the next two days, I will be eating, and eating a lot, and eating off-plan. This is my New York City birthday celebration, and there are at least three parties planned. 

I will gain weight. The only question is how much. Ten pounds of weight gain is pretty likely, and I'll be happy with anything less than that.

Also, beginning Sunday night, as part of my post-birthday colonoscopy, I will be avoiding nuts and seeds. Which means, no chia or hemp seeds when I get back from the City...

Food Log 

Breakfast

A cacao-kale-hemp-chia protein shake (almond milk, kale, a large egg, raw organic cacao powder, hemp seeds, chia gel, whey powder (30g protein), cinnamon and stevia-inulin blend).

Lunch

Protein bar.

Dinner

Party one: Peanut butter-filled pretzels. Sauteed shrimp and clams in white wine sauce over linguine. Irish whiskey. Chocolate babka. Greek salad. Not in that order.

Liquid Intake

   Coffee:  ? oz.   Water: ? oz. Irish whiskey.

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Thursday, January 23

Post 1065, Day 23 of 2014
- 1,118 days since I started this blog -

Daily Comment

This morning, I got a last-minute sub call to play a gig tonight, forty minutes outside of Syracuse.

It went very well. I hadn't previously played with this small group, which is an active Syracuse musician's side-project. The gig was easy, mainly because I keep smiling even when I'm lost in the music. But everybody had a good time, and there was some money, a meal and some wine.

Everybody was happy, and I had to explain again why I didn't accept the invitation to make it a permanent thing...

But the impermanence of these kinds of gigs, as well as open mics, of making music with strangers, are their main appeal to me. I stretch and grow when I'm left to my own inner resources in the face of playing music I don't know. 

I was asked how I became so good at playing bass. I had to admit, as I always do, that I'm not such a good bass player, but I'm brilliant at faking it and sounding like one.

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 Food and Diet Section

January to June, 2014 Daily Weight

Today's Weight:         206.4 lbs

Previous Weight:        205.8 lbs

Day Net Loss/Gain:      + 0.6 lbs

Diet Comment

Oh, cookies, you bring me such pleasure, but at a cost...

Food Log 

Breakfast

A cacao-kale-hemp-chia protein shake (almond-coconut milk, kale, a large egg, raw organic cacao powder, hemp seeds, chia seeds, whey powder (30g protein), cinnamon, coconut oil and stevia-inulin blend).

Lunch

Skipped.

Dinner

At Parker's Grille and Tap Room: A cup of tomato soup, a Greek salad, a blue-cheese, bacon, hamburger wrap, and some sweet potato fries.

Liquid Intake

   Coffee:  36 oz.   Water: 82+ oz. Two glasses of Malbec

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Wednesday, January 22

Post 1064, Day 22 of 2014
- 1,117 days since I started this blog -

Daily Comment

Almost nothing interesting happened today. I played at one of my favorite restaurants, and that was, of course, very enjoyable. Feeling expansive, I sabotaged my diet (again!) and am looking forward to more of the same over the next four days, since I picked up a sub gig at another restaurant tomorrow night (restaurant eating is, by and large, bad for my diet),  and then Friday I head down for a weekend in the City.

David's House of Brisket is calling me...

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 Food and Diet Section

January to June, 2014 Daily Weight

Today's Weight:         205.8 lbs

Previous Weight:        205.4 lbs

Day Net Loss/Gain:      + 0.4 lbs

Diet Comment

Late-night eating. I will never learn. Redux.

Food Log 

Breakfast

A cacao-kale-hemp-chia protein shake (almond-coconut milk, kale, a large egg, raw organic cacao powder, hemp seeds, chia seeds, whey powder (30g protein), cinnamon and stevia-inulin blend).

Lunch

At Ling-Ling's Chinese Buffet and Grill:

Brussels sprouts, kimchee, and, from the "Mongolian Grill", my go-to dish: pork and chicken with cabbage, onions, mushrooms, green peppers and broccoli. This is the same meal, and the same picture, as always.

Dinner

At Eskapes.

Fresh catch bowl: Shrimp, scallops, mussels over sauteed vegetables in a spicy tomato broth. And a nice glass of cabernet. And, then, coffee and fresh-baked cookies. Lots. Oh, my! 

Liquid Intake

   Coffee:  36 oz.   Water: 82+ oz. 

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Tuesday, January 21

Post 1063, Day 21 of 2014
- and 1,116 days since I started this blog -

Daily Comment

I'm thinking about the meaning of success today.

What it means to me, what it means to other people, and what it means to groups I'm involved in.

I know what it means to me, and it is very simple (and very selfish): Peace of mind. I'm not talking about an absence of conflict or even of being in harmony with the "Way Things Are." I'm talking about an inner state from which I can deal with externals. If I have that, I feel successful. 

How do externals affect this? Well, it is difficult for me to maintain my inner peace when I'm hungry, or threatened with violence or, to a degree, with loss. Simply put, if my material, physical needs are under attack, which is the time that I need a calm center the most, it is sometimes difficult to find - thankfully, these days, only temporarily.

What success means to other people doesn't concern or interest me much, until someone decides that their success requires someone else's subjugation or oppression. Luckily, in this life, this has not happened to me in any meaningful way: I've never been threatened with physical harm, although I've had jobs where I've felt like that over the last twenty-or-so years, I realize I still had choice. 

Defining success for the groups I'm in. is a different challenge, because, well, groups. The subjective nature of success means that for as many different people there are in the group, there is a unique vision of what success for that group would look like. 

In my band i am Fool, my definition of success would simply be: Playing often and regularly. J. he real band leader, has a kind of bucket-list or checklist of accomplishments, some of which are about places and stages the band will play, most of which have already been checked off; the band is only a part of his idea of success, and its success only contributes to his idea of personal success.. Tami wants the group to make regular, good money. Mike just wants the group to be able to choose the gigs we play, then play only a few each month. John, the drummer, apparently wants world domination.

Success for me with the Chad Bradshaw Trio would be to have paying gigs whenever there's slack in the i am Fool schedule. Chad wants lots of paying gigs and has accepted my putting i am Fool's schedule above his, which avoids conflict. I think Chad also wants to rename the band. Jim, the drummer, wants for the Trio what I want for i am Fool.

Man, that's a lot of abstract thinking about imaginary stuff of little real importance!

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 Food and Diet Section

January to June, 2014 Daily Weight

Today's Weight:         205.2 lbs

Previous Weight:        204.4 lbs

Day Net Loss/Gain:      + 0.8 lbs

Diet Comment

Late-night eating. I will never learn.

Food Log 

Breakfast

Skipped.

Lunch

Salmon and egg salad on baby kale, baby spinach, chard and cole slaw mix with balsamic vinaigrette.

Dinner

Pepperoni.


Snack

Chili from yesterday, with Ezekiel Flax bread and hummus and coconut oil.

Liquid Intake

   Coffee:  28 oz.   Water: 78+ oz. 

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