October 11

Post 972, Day 284 of 2013
- and 1014 days since I started this blog -

Daily Comment

I have been thinking about control for a while - since my last phone conversation with Andy, who believes all control is illusory.

I agree, although I think it is not too difficult to control something temporarily.

Of course, if you control something temporarily, you don't really control it.

No big deal. What is a big deal is the illusion of control, because that is self-deception, and with that self-deception comes a lot of bad acts. 

Why is this on my mind today? Twelfth day of the government shutdown.

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 Food and Diet Section

2013 Daily Weight

Today's Weight:         208.6 lbs

Yesterday's Weight:     211.4 lbs

Day Net Loss/Gain:      - 2.8 lbs

Diet Comment

Nice loss! Unfortunately, ruined it when, after going out to see various friends' bands, I had a drink (unfortunately, in this case, bought for me without my knowledge, so not anything I would ordinarily drink - a fucking rum and coke. I haven't had a sip of coca-cola in decades). I stayed out 'way late, and when I got home, felt I ought to balance the drink out with some protein. Maybe that will mitigate the damage.

Food Log 

Breakfast

Eggs on toast (coconut Paleo bread), with a side of spinach, lentils, hemp seeds and salsa.

Lunch

Roasted turkey breast with black beans, Spring Mix greens, cole slaw blend and creamy balsamic dressing.

Dinner

A protein bar (second day in a row I got hungry while out shopping, and this was my best option). Then, when I got home, some sliced Buffalo-wing-style chicken breast with guacamole and hard-boiled eggs.

Snack

Sliced Buffalo-wing-style chicken breast.

Liquid Intake   

   Coffee:  32 oz.   Water: 96+ oz. A rum and coke. (I never thought I'd write that!)

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October 10

Post 971, Day 283 of 2013
- and 1013 days since I started this blog -

Daily Comment

Busy-busy-busy all day at work. After work, did some food shopping (a longer drive than usual, because there's only one local place to by my Julian Bakeries Paleo bread). Came home, and just fell asleep in the act of checking my DVR. 

When I woke up (about an hour later), I decided to bag my plans and go to bed and catch up on my sleep, recently impaired by having too much fun at night.

Which is why this is all I have to say in my daily comment.

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 Food and Diet Section

2013 Daily Weight

Today's Weight:         211.4 lbs

Yesterday's Weight:     211.6 lbs

Day Net Loss/Gain:      - 0.2 lbs

Diet Comment

No big difference, which might, in itself, be something to celebrate.

Food Log 

Breakfast
Skipped.

Lunch

A cacao-kale-hemp-chia protein shake (almond-coconut milk, kale, a large egg, raw organic cacao powder, hemp seeds, chia gel, whey powder (24g protein), cinnamon, psyllium and stevia-inulin blend).

Dinner

A protein bar (I got hungry while out shopping, didn't want to eat dinner out, and this was my best option). This was actually meant to be a snack, but given the timing, and that it was the last thing I ate, bam! Dinner.

Liquid Intake   

   Coffee:  32 oz.   Water: 74+ oz. 

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October 9

Post 970, Day 282 of 2013
- and 1012 days since I started this blog -

Daily Comment

I got a new e-book on expat living in Cuenca, Ecuador. Very enlightening, and eye-opening as well. It is still looking like my number one option, but by the time I get there, maybe not so much, because things are changing quickly with all the publicity. Maybe another Ecuadorian city? Loja?

Anyway, I went to a jam session, and the number one comment was that I should have done all the singing. 

It makes me laugh. While I like to sing (a lot), I don't have a large repertoire of songs I can both sing and play bass on. I certainly don't have what I consider a performance-quality voice. Also, I think, these days, as a singer, I'm a pretty good bass player. I know real singers that would (and should) be offended when people think of me as a singer.

I used to sing all the time - mostly for myself. There was a brief time when I was sought after by rock groups for my singing, not my instrumental skills, but that short period was over as soon as I graduated high school (and improved my playing).

I used to have a pretty wide range, but disuse and age have obliterated that.

I love singing, think of it as a spiritual thing, creating those (to me, at least) harmonious vibrations that you can feel biologically, and that resonate within your psyche as well. It is known to be a positive to your health (they say people who sing in choirs have longer average lifespans than those who don't), and I would never stop. 

I have no illusions about the quality of my vocals, but I have to admit, it feels good when people enjoy what I consider a lesser talent.

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 Food and Diet Section

2013 Daily Weight

Today's Weight:         211.6 lbs

Yesterday's Weight:     212.6 lbs

Day Net Loss/Gain:      - 1.0 lbs

Diet Comment

Almost back down to Monday weight.

Food Log 

Breakfast
Skipped.

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. Yes, it's the same meal I always have here, and yes, the same picture, too.

Dinner

Super slaw (red and white cabbage, hemp seeds, chia seeds, black beans, home-made mayonnaise, raw cider vinegar and coconut sugar) with coconut Paleo bread and guacamole.

Liquid Intake   

   Coffee:  24 oz.   Water: 140+ oz. A shot of Jameson's Irish Whiskey. 

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October 8

Post 969, Day 247 of 2013
- and 1011 days since I started this blog -

Daily Comment

Busy in every way except work, where, due to the government shutdown and the number of furloughed employees, services have been reduced, and expectations are lower. Mine are at the only lower possible place: I am not getting any calls to action.

I rescheduled my LA vacation to approximately the same time as last year; I am making a couple of assumptions, of course. The primary assumption is that the government will not be shut down for six whole weeks. It cost me $150 to change my ticket (reduced from $300 to change it, which would have been 75% of the flight), and if the government is still shut down the second week of November, I'll have to change it again. That is, if I still have a job (my second assumption).

Anyway, the new vacation days (I lost a day, unfortunately) are November 8-17.

Tonight's i am Fool rehearsal was cancelled again, so I went back to the open mic I had so much fun at last week, and played for about four hours straight. Some really good stuff, some not so much, all fun. I made some new friends and saw a couple of people I hadn't seen in quite a while. I even got Chad Bradshaw (my duet partner) to come out and play a set, which was so good, it went very long.

Even though I'm working for an IOU, life is good.

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 Food and Diet Section

2013 Daily Weight

Today's Weight:         212.6 lbs

Yesterday's Weight:     211.2 lbs

Day Net Loss/Gain:      + 1.4 lbs

Diet Comment

I don't understand the weight gain, but it's only one day.

Food Log 

Breakfast
A cacao-kale-hemp-chia protein shake (almond-coconut milk, kale, a large egg, raw organic cacao powder, hemp seeds, chia gel, whey powder (24g protein), cinnamon, psyllium and stevia-inulin blend).

Lunch

Buffalo chicken breast, black beans, Spring Mix, cole slaw blend, and creamy balsamic dressing.

Dinner

Ezekiel 4:9 Golden Flax sprouted grain cereal with blueberries, hemp seeds, coconut-almond milk, coconut sugar, and stevia-inulin blend. Not shown: Buffalo chicken breast with cole slaw.

Liquid Intake   

   Coffee:  24 oz.   Water: 84+ oz.

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October 7

Post 968, Day 246 of 2013
- and 1010 days since I started this blog -

Daily Comment

I'm back. Here are some Vermont pics:

While I was in Brattleboro, I had lunch with Laura, who was in my Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, 5th and 6th-grade classes, and who I had a huge crush on when I was eleven years old, and did a noble thing and 'gave' her to my friend Freddy. 

We began catching up with a retelling of some he-said, she-said events from 2nd-grade (55 years ago!) (I laughed when I wrote that; does it seem funny to anyone else?). It was a pivotal time for both of us, and went forward from there, for about two-and-a-half hours. I should stop being amazed that people who shared so much so long ago could so easily fall back to a friendship that we had been on hiatus for fifty-two years.

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 Food and Diet Section

2013 Daily Weight

Today's Weight:         211.2 lbs

Yesterday's Weight:     212.2 lbs

Day Net Loss/Gain:      - 1.0 lbs

Diet Comment

First of all, by "Yesterday's Weight:"  I actually mean, "Friday's Weight:". Over the weekend, while visiting friends, I tried to adhere to the plan, but I did eat some bread, rice and potatoes (small amounts), had a large bit of cheese, and some desserts (although, gluten-free). The rest of my food was right on plan: eggs, fish, turkey, chicken. I didn't realize until I'd written it that I didn't have any red meat all weekend. Still, I ate well, and not too much.

And I'm rewarded by weighing less today than I did Friday.

Food Log 

Breakfast
A cacao-kale-hemp-chia protein shake (almond-coconut milk, kale, a large egg, raw organic cacao powder, hemp seeds, chia gel, whey powder (24g protein), cinnamon, psyllium and stevia-inulin blend).

Lunch

Wild-caught salmon and black bean salad on Spring Mix and cole slaw blend.

Dinner

Pepperoni with cole slaw. Shahi Rajma (Red kidney bean curry) and cauliflower.

Liquid Intake   

   Coffee:  24 oz.   Water: 74+ oz.

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October 4

Post 967, Day 243 of 2013
- and 1007 days since I started this blog -

Daily Comment

I am taking a little mini-vacation. I drove to my friends Richie and Gloria's, in Brattleboro, VT, straight from work. Got right down to playing, then we'll have a weekend of playing and friends, with some good eating along the way.

I originally planned to stay through Monday, but the government shutdown put the kibosh on that, so I'll be back Sunday night to play at my open mics.

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 Food and Diet Section

2013 Daily Weight

Today's Weight:         212.2 lbs

Yesterday's Weight:     213.4 lbs

Day Net Loss/Gain:      - 1.2 lbs

Diet Comment

Three days in a row of reasonable losses, and counting. Unfortunately, finishing out the night with

Food Log 

Breakfast
Egg salad on coconut Paleo bread.

Lunch

Roasted turkey breast and black beans on Spring Mix greens with balsamic vinaigrette. 

Snack

On the road: Protein bars. I didn't want to go this route, but they were the most acceptable thing in the gas station I stopped at after work (gas and coffee and...).

Dinner

At the Country TIme Diner in Troy, NY: A feta and sausage omelet with rye toast and a forkful of home fries.

Liquid Intake   

   Coffee:  24 oz.   Water: 104+ oz.

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October 3

Post 966, Day 242 of 2013
- and 1006 days since I started this blog -

Daily Comment

It is looking grim for my vacation to LA.

If the government shutdown persists past next Tuesday (five days from now), my vacation is toast. Today, I got this from my manager:

Just to be sure everyone understands:

There is NO LEAVE  allowed during the furlough period.  If you TAKE ANY leave, you will be furloughed for the duration of the shutdown.

I am already working for an IOU, which is to say, I will be paid for my work sometime after the government shutdown ends, but no income for the duration.

I cannot afford to be furloughed - all pay and benefits lost until the government is back in business - not for the length of my vacation, and not for the length of the government shutdown, which I now expect to last until at least October 24 (a week after the debt-ceiling must be raised, which is the next Republican fanatic suicide-bombing date) which includes the entirety of my one annual vacation.

Rant on:

I have never had a Conservative view of politics, and it is unlikely to happen going forward. I believe the government shutdown is unnecessary and immoral. I believe the shutdown is due to a minority of elected officials hating the government they swore to defend, whose laws they swore to uphold. I do not believe their problem is with the Affordable Care Act, either - not its mythical unpopularity, or its mythical danger to the economy - I think that the ACA is being used as an excuse to embarrass the President and to advance an extreme minority view. I do not believe the shutdown is a responsible action against the deficit - both the ACA and the current government spending and revenue status quo are reducing the deficit, while the shutdown is increasing it. 

I will sacrifice my vacation - a privilege, after all, not a right - as long as the President and the Senate do not negotiate with the extremists/terrorists holding it hostage.

Rant off.

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 Food and Diet Section

2013 Daily Weight

Today's Weight:         213.4 lbs

Yesterday's Weight:     211.0 lbs

Day Net Loss/Gain:      + 2.4 lbs

Diet Comment

I wish I had better news. Yesterday's cheats - the result of too many meals eaten out in one day - had an out-size effect on my weight today.

Food Log 

Breakfast
A cacao-kale-hemp-chia protein shake (almond-coconut milk, kale, a large egg, raw organic cacao powder, hemp seeds, chia gel, whey powder (24g protein), cinnamon, psyllium and stevia-inulin blend).

Lunch

Smoked turkey, black beans, Spring Mix, cole slaw blend, and balsamic vinaigrette.

Dinner

Ezekiel 4:9 Golden Flax sprouted grain cereal with blueberries, hemp seeds, coconut-almond milk, coconut sugar, and stevia-inulin blend. Not shown: Egg salad on coconut Paleo bread with cole slaw and black beans.

Liquid Intake   

   Coffee:  24 oz.   Water: 112+ oz.

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October 2

Post 965, Day 241 of 2013
- and 1005 days since I started this blog -

Daily Comment

A great gig tonight with Chad, then stopping in to an open mic, jamming with more great new musicians...

And they all want to be Facebook friends. And, I'm missing some things, the benefits of FB, so trying something different, and more consistent with the way I think things should change.

I'm going back on Facebook, minus the comments, minus the 'discussions' - I'm changing the way I deal with it.

Also, ruthlessly blocking anyone who posts anything I don't like.

Please leave a comment if you visit my blog. Thank you!

 Food and Diet Section

2013 Daily Weight

Today's Weight:         211.0 lbs

Yesterday's Weight:     212.4 lbs

Day Net Loss/Gain:      - 1.4 lbs

Diet Comment

Three days in a row of reasonable losses, and counting. Unfortunately, finishing out the night with a late dinner that included off-plan fruit and cheese, dessert and, even later, a shot of Irish whiskey, probably puts a temporary halt to weight loss.

Food Log 

Breakfast
Coconut Paleo toast and guacamole.

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. Yes, it's the same meal I always have here, and yes, the same picture, too.

Snack

Cole slaw with black beans

Dinner

At Eskapes Lounge:

Salad with romaine, mandarin oranges, tomatoes, peppers, feta cheese and balsamic vinaigrette.

Grilled salmon and sauteed mushrooms,spinach, tomatoes and peppers. Not shown: glass of red wine before dinner and a chocolate chip cookie for dessert.

Liquid Intake   

   Coffee:  24 oz.   Water: 120+ oz.  A shot of Jameson's.

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October 1

Post 964, Day 240 of 2013
- and 1004 days since I started this blog -

Daily Comment

A new club, a new opportunity to jam with new musicians.

And, what a good time. It reminded me of when I first came to Syracuse. The musicians were welcoming, open, generous.

I had a great time, and helped make the club swing - without drums! Not the easiest task, but there were lots of good musicians who seemed to be energized by the addition of some bass to their music. 

Unfortunately, now that I'm not on Facebook, no pics.

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 Food and Diet Section

2013 Daily Weight

Today's Weight:         212.4 lbs

Yesterday's Weight:     213.8 lbs

Day Net Loss/Gain:      - 1.4 lbs

Diet Comment

Two days in a row of reasonable losses, and that with a lunch-time fail yesterday.

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 (24g protein), cinnamon, psyllium and stevia-inulin blend).


Lunch

Wild-caught salmon and black bean salad on Spring Mix and cole slaw blend. Not shown: A salami and cheese appetizer from work.

Dinner

Turkey burger on coconut Paleo bread with guacamole and cole slaw.

Liquid Intake   

   Coffee:  24 oz.   Water: 120+ oz.  

Please leave a comment if you visit my blog. Thank you!