Stephen Went Boom Boom!

 So, if you know me, you know that I try to mind my own business! There I was, in my car (Stephen) just stopped at the red light because that's what I do; I stop at red lights.  While stopped I was looking at the vehicle just in front of me, the one that decided to try and make it through the yellow light before it turns red. I was even thinking to myself, "If they just stop it would be so much better on everyone. Yellow means slow down, not speed up and try to make it!"  Well, just as I was thinking that I heard the unmistakable sound of tires screaming to a halt -- behind me! Then, you guessed it, BAM! Apparently the man behind me was hoping all of us would be going through the now very very red light. NOPE.  Poor little Stephen took a smack right in his backside; and hard!

    My daughter is forever saying that people who drive Dodge trucks are just asshats. They tend to run red lights, turn corners on two wheels, high-tail it out of parking lots without giving a damn if a kid or a dog is crossing in front of them. There's just something about the mentality (she says) about Dodge truck drivers. Well, turns out she was right this time!  Not only did this guy have a Dodge Truck (Ram 1500) it was older, the grill was completely missing, the front panels had been replaced, the hood had another color than the side panels; this truck had been in at least a few bang ups before this one. The guy driving it was what my daughter would call a very typical "A-Type Man without a brain", again, her words. I would say he was a less than attentive driver who felt that texting while driving was his way of multi-tasking and it didn't work out for him this time. It could have been really bad; thank God it wasn't.

    My insurance mind kicked into overdrive, and without speaking even a single word to the man I exited my car safely, walked around to the back of my car, took photos, took his photo, took photos of his tag and called 9-1-1.  As I'm reporting the incident to the dispatcher the man decides to call  out to me and say I didn't need to take his photo, he wasn't a criminal, he just hit me, he's not going to lie and say he didn't. That's good news. The thing is, I don't know him. I have never met him. He could be a murderer escaping the scene of that crime and got nervous and hit me; we just don't know. I decided to continue my conversation with the 9-1-1 dispatcher and I decided to describe not only the two vehicles but the man as well. I even told Dispatch what was printed on his t-shirt. I thought that would make him happy enough to back away and stop trying to talk with me.  He was basically saying we didn't need to call the cops. Too late! I'm on the phone with them, and yes, I wanted him to be ticketed. He was on the phone while driving, he hit me, he caused damage, he needs a ticket -- and if he didn't have insurance I wanted him arrested right then and there.

    The Dispatch asked me to pull to the nearest parking lot so I did. I didn't tell the man what I was doing, I just got in my car and slowly pulled around the corner. I figured he can either follow me or he can leave. He knew I had taken photos; he followed me.  He didn't try to talk to me after that, he just sat in his car and I stood outside mine. Yes, before you ask, I had my knife on me until I saw the cop car rounding the corner, then I put it back in my car.  No need in dragging that into the conversation. I had it if I needed it, I didn't need it, I put it away. I was also on the phone with Laura because as many of you know, my daughter Laura is a superhero and could be with me in an instant if called upon to do so! LOL.  Today is also her 33rd birthday, so she was really happy her mom didn't die today.

    The cop was super nice! He got out of his car and walked over to me first. He pulled out a card and began taking my information and side of things. He took my license, I showed him my GEICO ID card on my phone.  He then did the same for the Dodge driver.  In a minute or so the cop (Officer Terry) stepped from his unit and gave me a piece of paper with the case number and told me the good news was that Mr. Dodge Driver and I both had GEICO insurance.  Albeit that his was only liability, that's all I need!  I'm really hoping it all goes really easy and fast. I don't want to drag this out really. It's bad enough I had a flat just two days ago in Stephen and now this! Poor baby car!  I was literally on my way to get the donut removed from the back passenger side and replaced with a new tire, when this happened.  The Discount Tire Center was happy to hold my appointment for me! Great guys.

    The back of my car is a bit crunched. I've had my adjusters license for a minute, so I'm putting the damage estimate at about $3000-3500, and hoping I can just get the check and be done with it. I was actually thinking of selling the car anyway, so maybe I could just trade it in with the $3000 and get a new car.  I could also keep the money and trade with it, make more money and pay off this car or buy a new one. I don't think I'll use it to pay the mechanics to fix the car because I can turn the money into new/more money which will ultimately make me happier because I can say I turned a bad thing into a good thing, and that's always fun.  I won't gamble the money of course, I'm a trader with rules. If I can take $3000 and make another $3000-5000 from the trades I think that's a better way to handle the situation. Why give the mechanics all the money? I can earn more, fix the car, and maybe sell it as is. I'm just glad I wasn't injured!  I do have a headache and I took some Tylenol as soon as I could. I was going to walk today, but think I'll rest. I may even soak an extra 10-15 minutes tonight just because I can!

    God was really great to me today; I want to take a minute to thank Him and let Him know I truly appreciate the lessons I learned. I've been guilty of picking up my phone when I'm driving too. I only use it at stop lights, maybe this guy was doing that as well. He actually admitted to the cop that he was on his phone. That's amazing, and probably a bit careless. I don't know if he did himself any favors with that one, but it was nice to see that he didn't argue - - then again, he had a truck without a grill and his truck's puncture wounds in the back of my car's bumper, scrapes and bumps all over the backside, and there's that fact that the Dispatch heard him say we didn't need to call the police. Officer Terry told him that it was a good thing I called the police, as there tends to be a bit of one-sidedness when they aren't called. I will always call the police because you just never ever know who it is that has hit you -- and you don't know what they are capable of doing. 

    Bottom line: Stephen will be dimpled for a minute; battle scars!  He's only 3 but he's traveled 42,000 miles and he needs a bit of loving.  I had the tire replaced after the wreck, and I'll get 3 more in a couple of weeks.  By that time I should know what the outcome is on the claim and I'll decide if I should keep Stephen and have him fixed, or if I'll sell him to another good person and start a fresh.  We just don't know. What I do know is, I stop at red lights, and everyone else should do that as well -- and not use their phones when they drive. Just a suggestion, but in Oklahoma, and other places, it's the LAW! Again, I'm really happy we're both OK. Cars can be replaced, people can't be. God is great.

Photo Credit: Me

    

AAA - - My Endorsement!

 I was going to blog today about something else, but that was before my little car Stephen was attacked viciously by a construction nail on the highway!  I have always named my cars and in 2019 I bought this guy new; he's a 2018 Nissan Versa. He's a bit special because he has crank windows and there are no power locks on the doors either - - quite the inconvenience. I think I named him Stephen after my silver 2005 Ford Focus Steve; but I didn't want my new car to think he was or could be anything as wonderful as Steve. No car could come close to that beast! We loved the hell out of that car - - and he is gone. He is not forgotten.  

    This was Stephen's first event I think. Reuben has been driving him for over 5 months and nothing happened during those elongated road trips to every corner of our state and back. In less than 3 years we've put 42,000+ miles on the car, and no maintenance issues that I'm aware of. Every now and then, due to weather, the check tire pressure light will come on . I take him to the AAA store near me, and I have the techs check him, he's fine, we put in a little air, and we're on our way. We change the oil, the filters, use good fuel, and he's been running like a top!  Gotta love that! He may be basic, but he's awesome.

    Today I took Stephen up to Edmond about 17 miles away, to pick my cat up from the vet's office. I had to hurry as I was going on my early lunch break. We took the highway there and back, and even took a toll road where most people speed a bit to make it worth their while to pay for the pass!  I was clocking 80 at times, and I have to be really careful doing that in Stephen, he's likely to sprout wings and fly! I like my tires on the road, thank you!  About 4-5 miles from home the check tire pressure light came on, but I didn't think anything of it. We had a sudden drop in temps lately, and that happens. About 2 miles from home I started smelling a funny gassy airy smell from the heater (yes, it was cool enough outside to pump that up to 70) and that smell was weird enough to make me turn off the fan.

    When I got home I went upstairs, worked, and was preparing to take my little car under the covered garage next door due to more storms coming our way. I got into the car, drove it literally 400 feet (would be 50 feet if I could just back it up over the curb and easement to the garage, but I had to drive through the parking lots to get to the garage.  When I got there I felt the car was leaning to the right. I got out and there it was....the FLAT TIRE on my passenger back side. What? Why didn't I check that before I drove on it? Because I was concerned about hail, not flat tires.

    Because I'm a member of AAA Roadside Service, I gave them a call, and I mean THEY WERE FAST.  I placed the call at 4:40 p.m. I got a text accepting that call, and then I had a tech calling me literally 4 minutes later. He said his GPS put him about 5 minutes from me...there you go! Great service!  He was there, and we talked, and he told me his latest dad jokes. I pulled out a few of my own, and we just really got along very well.  I was happy to see that the service was free, and included in my annual payment (less than $99 for the two of us, Laura and I) and the tech assured me that Stephen was the cleanest car he has seen in a long time!! Thank you Reuben and Josie, that was really nice to hear. My son and his wife had Stephen detailed when they brought him back last month. So sweet.

    That's it. I'm on a donut for a minute until I can make it to my favorite tire guy. We have known each other 40+ years so I go to him even if I have to wait until the weekend since he retired. He will force his kid to do the work while we have coffee. Gotta love being connected, right? LOL.  So we'll be back on the road in no time, and living the dream.  Since I really don't drive that much I don't worry about waiting for weekends to do most of my running around. I work from home and literally have to start the car up now and again to keep the battery running. It's a great gig if you can get it!  Again, God is great!

    Enjoy your ride, and IF you don't have AAA Roadside I would get it. I think the PLUS package is on sale right now.  You get 4 tows up  to 100 miles, and at least 4 services calls.  They bring you fuel if you need it, change your tires and stuff. At their stores they have mechanics and change oil and such, but again, I have my friend from way back when, so I typically go there.  It can't be beat. If you need help you've got a friend in AAA!  That's my endorsement and I'm sticking to it.

Photo Credit: Me.

Fitness Goals for 2022.

 This one won't be that long (at least I think it won't be. I realized I put my last Spring Fitness 2022 blog up without stating any goals. Goals are really very very important in every aspect of my life. I wake up knowing I have goals to meet before I sit down to write in my journal. I don't call them chores, I call them goals because it is my hope to do them, and I don't HAVE to do them, I want to do them. I own pets so when I get up I walk one, then give treats, feed and water them all, and I put Laura's dog out and in, then back out and back in.  It's a thing now.   I have other goals for the day, but today's blog is about the goals I'm setting for the Spring Fitness 2022. 

    I am about 30 pounds over the target goal that I want to weigh, but my doctors like to say that I don't need to be that light. They like to say that I need to be this or that weight, but I know I have heavy dense bones and muscles and I don't want to carry around extra skin either. My belly is still a bit larger than it should be and some of that is extra skin that is sagging from when I lost the bulk of my weight in 2020. I am going to meet my 30 pound goal by losing 20-25 and then I'm having surgery to remove the skin under my belly area to both flatten it and to ease another 4-5 pounds off the total.  Another 3 or 4 pounds (maybe 5-6 if I have my way) is to have my breasts reduced and lifted; hopefully at the same time I have the tummy tuck so that I can be in pain all at one time and I won't have to take off work more than once.

    With the walking, diet, other exercise such as boxing, battle ropes, jump ropes, and dancing, I should be hitting my first phase of 10 pounds a month in May and 10 pounds a month in June.  I will likely taper off a bit in July and August as the last 5-10 is the hardest to lose. I'm taking it EVER so slowly so that it stays off, and I want to make a permanent decision with the surgeries for physical and mental reasons. I know I'm stable minded, but the extra care will help my confidence and my morale. I'll think of it as a way to be the best I can be and continue to encourage anyone who is willing to work hard for a goal too. There is nothing wrong with cosmetic surgeries in my book as long as you're not addicted to them, or they are being used to make you look like someone else.  I think being the best you (in my case, me) is a good thing. Bodies don't bounce back easily at my age. 

    There really isn't a food goal other than to eat well, cut the carbs when I can without trying to go all KETO on myself. It doesn't work for me to do that. I have been in that ring a few times, and the bells just keep sounding off for me to throw in the towel.  I am not one to give up something I really love just to see a pound drop and come back with vengeance!  I love my chocolate. I love bread. I don't eat much bread, but I won't give it up entirely either.  I eat smaller portions, lots of proteins, and I drink great enormous amounts of water - - probably close to 150 ounces a day easily. This will happen!! I will make it happen. It will be a great and glorious Spring and into Summer. I'll keep you posted.

Photo Credit: LeaderChat.org

It's a TWISTER!

     It's so funny when I think about to all the times non-Okies have used the word "Twister" to explain one of the most powerful weather events that often takes place in the Sooner State.  We have never, and I do mean never, called them "twisters".  There was even a major motion picture by that name and it was filmed right here in the state I'm sitting in today.  I think the term twister came from the Wizard of Oz or something; maybe people up in Kansas call tornadoes by that name. We say tornado.  If you call it a twister we're gonna know you're from out of town; just sayin'. 

    Here in my neck of the woods we're blessed with so many of the world's finest and educated meteorologists ever.  The film I was telling you about included our own home grown Gary England, weatherman to the most appreciative and grateful crowd on this planet. I count myself a very lucky woman to be able to say I've met Gary many times, and he's one of the most genuine folk I've ever had the pleasure of meeting.  Gary was (and is) so revered for his weathercasting skills, that we locals knew his tells. If he got too excited or too serious about a storm's movements we knew before he said anything. We had our closets ready, the basement stairs cleared, and we had our bicycle helmets on the ready as well. Before we realized bicycle helmets were useful for more than just riding bikes, we would use our football helmets. I say that as if you already knew, but everyone in Oklahoma has at least two helmets in their house from when the kids played ball at school.

    David Payne has taken over Gary's role at News 9 KWTV in Oklahoma City, and though he's been on the air for more than twenty years there are still a lot of us who still refer to Gary's work; but let me tell you, David has his tells as well. He's nothing like Gary, and we wouldn't expect him to be, but when it comes to tracking tornadoes, most of us still tune into Channel 9 in this state. I know the others have good men and women to follow, but we just have our ways, and if it ain't broke we don't fix it. When David gets really serious he takes off his glasses and we know we're about to jump into our "safe space".  I love it when David looks into the camera and says "If you're in this area or anywhere near it, you know where to go, and you know what to do. We've gone over this a 100 times! Do it. Do it now!"  We do. We're not stupid. I mean, we will watch the thing until it's right up on us, but we do hit the closet when we are supposed to.

    About 23 years ago (May 3, 1999) Oklahoma saw one of the biggest, fastest, worst tornadoes in history. In fact, it was so big and bad that the weather people decided to upscale the rankings of these beasts and included an F6 in the mix when before May 3, 1999, the fastest moving storm was an F5. Not kidding you folks, the winds range higher than 300 miles per hour.  I think the one we had was officially an F6 by the standards of 1999, but they downgraded it to an F5 after determining that the winds would need to be at least 300 mph for a substantial amount of time. WHATEVER!  We had a whooper!!  I remember  it so clearly because I only had my son with me, the girls were with their dad and I prayed and cried and cried and prayed until I could hear their voices over the phone when they found one to call me; so thankful their dad had a storm shelter! Reuben and I hunkered in the smaller closet with three dogs.  You let the cats run free, you don't try to trap them. 

    When we lived in Indianapolis an F1 came through and I remember the panic in and on the faces of the people at the store. Laura and I drove home and tried to not to laugh.  We were in New York City and an F0 (didn't even know there was one) came through Manhattan and you would have thought the world had ended. One guy was so upset because his hat blew off his head. Another guy swore the door of his car swung open by itself. OK....that's cute. I mean, I don't mean to sound mean, but c'mon. When your car becomes a missile and your hay turns into spears piercing your 100 year old live oaks, let me hear you talk about something meaningful - - my had blew off my head. Geez.  When we're at home and we hear the sirens we have already been watching the skies ourselves. We grew up with that serious little stare that we get; and most of us may not be able to spell "mesocyclone" but we know what it is - - and a hook, and we know what sheer is, what "wrapped in rain" means.  We practice.

    Oklahoma (and yes, I'll even say Texas) has never really been a place to experience all four of the typical or photo-type seasons that could be used for a pretty calendar.  We have four seasons, but you can have them all in one day if you plan it correctly.  We have Hot, Cold, Wind, and Football seasons. Those are about all we get here. It can be 87 in November with a sudden storm bringing the temps down below 32 degrees right in the middle of 3rd quarter and you know we're not calling that game. I think I remember two games being called for lightning but rain or wind may not qualify for a good enough reason to halt play. I say that, we'd halt it if we were throwing against the wind; sure, that would happen. We'd halt it until the storm passed. That only makes sense.

    Oklahoma has always been called "Tornado Alley" or at least has been included in the term one way or another. We've had monster storms that took out entire cities,  killed people, and left millions of dollars in damage but one thing a storm has never (so far) done to us; it has never changed us with regard to pulling up our boots right after the thing has passed, and going out to check on our friends and neighbors to be sure they're OK, their property is OK, their animals, and their crops are OK. We do what we can and before the first responders arrive we've already arrived. We take care of our own and if you're here visiting, you'll be taken care of as well.  For that matter, if you live in a place that doesn't see many tornadoes but one is coming in, maybe think about following David Payne's advice:  Get to the lowest part of the house, a basement or storm shelter if possible. If you can't do that, find a small room like a closet, a bathroom is OK, but you'll need a mattress over you while you're in the tub so debris doesn't hit you. The closet is better. Wear long trousers, long sleeves, maybe get a helmet, and be sure you're wearing your boots or rubber soled shoes. THIS IS KEY:  bring your ID with you and if you can't, write you name and a contact number for your relative on your arm with a Sharpee. You may think I'm kidding - - I'm not kidding.

    God is so very very amazing.  He has always kept His word and He has always protected us. I am so blessed to call Him my Lord.  He made the tornado. He controls it. When they come our way, the first line of defense is prayer.  We take our precautions, obviously, but we always go to God for the end result. He is the spinner!  Be safe and know you are in good hands if you come to our state in the spring and need a place to hide - - most of us will invite you even before you ask.

    

Welcome to Oklahoma!

Photo Credit:  UniverseWorld.com

South vs. North

 In Dr. Seuss' story "The Zax", the good author expresses the stark and obvious differences (not the similarities) of the two main characters which are; the North Going Zax and the South Going Zax. In the story the North Going Zax proclaims that he always goes North and when he runs into the South Going Zax, he tells him flat out to "Get out of my way". Apparently, and you can imagine, the two meet at an intersection of life, and one refuses to budge for the other. There is a stand off. There is a non-movement. There is a problem.  I think the good doctor was really trying to hint at another issue all together with this one. Could it be that there are folks out there that don't see things the same way we see them? Could it be that there are huge differences between us all and we are more or less too stubborn to step aside allowing another person to have his or her own opinion? I think so, but feel free to disagree. I'll let you pass.

    The American Revolutionary War was a great conflict between people who mostly came from the British Isles, ( but there were many others who came from other parts of the world for a chance to live their own way) and the Crown, be it English, Scottish, Welsh, and some Irish, anyone and everyone who was loyal to the Crown by duty or birth. This war established a very strong ZAX movement indeed; but it was not to be the last.  Later, less than 100 years in fact, there was another war, the war of the States, the Northern Aggression, some call it the Civil War.  In that conflict we literally had the distinction of North and South for sure, and there are just a few things that were never conquered or changed even if the tallies were counted in that fateful event.  The South is still very much the South, and there's not a damn thing any Yankee can do about it.

    We sound different down here, we say things differently, we approach things differently, and believe me when I tell you we don't always let you see the cards we're holding, but we may fan them in front of you to pretend to stave off the heat. All we're really doing at that point is drawing you in for the kill. Be very careful around a long-legged bright-eyed girl bearing gifts of sweet tea and biscuits. You have been warned. One of the funnier things I've ever seen or heard come out of the mouth of a Yankee friend of mine (I do have them) is that we Southerners (he meant me, of course) can smile through the pain of an insult and say the nicest thing in retort when everyone with blood in their veins knows there will be an uprising and it will be both swift and precise....but you don't know exactly when or where that will happen. Just know it will in fact happen.

    I saw a meme the other day that made me giggle and thank Sweet Baby Jesus that I was born in the South.  The meme had a split picture showing cornbread on one side and buttered biscuits on the other. There was  caption that read "Pick one".  I thought that was hilarious. Why would I do something like that when the answer is obviously "both".  I read through the comments and noticed a few other souls had answered as I would have, only to find comments berating them for not "getting the point" of the meme.  Apparently the Yankee who produced such nonsense expected people to actually choose one side over the other. There is no reason for it when butter and honey spread nicely over both! That's a kin to asking someone to choose football or baseball; nonsense. The only true answer is "Both".

    I was just about to share the meme on my own Facebook wall when I noticed that the photo of the cornbread had a square glass pan in the background with the rest of the cornbread still inside of it. What the hell were they thinking? Where did that photo come from and who baked their precious cornbread in a Pyrex dish when everyone knows you use Gramma's old iron skillet? I couldn't even post the meme out of fear of possibly being turned in and then losing my Southern Card. I'm not about to let that happen. Close call. Good thing I looked!  If those two were given to me to choose from I'd have to take the biscuits, but then again, knowing what I know now about the damn cornbread, I may ask if they used sugar in either, or if (God forbid) they measured their butter before cutting it into the flour! (OMG...do you think they used something else other than butter?) No thank you, I'll just stay home and cook breakfast myself. 

    Some of my Northern friends think I'm crazy for saying "Thank you" to my phone Siri, or holding the door open for someone before I enter the store. I can't help it if my Mama put manners on me at an early age, and I can't help it if their Mama didn't love them enough to show them the right way to do things. I do pray for them though, and I hope they find it in their souls to be less stressed and more blessed. I think if I had to pick one really big difference between the North and the South it would be insistence up that way for fast-pace living and the impatience I see that they carry out when discussing a matter. They may have "won the war" but they don't hold a candle to our hospitality, and it's true, more people feel more comforted in an airplane that's experiencing turbulence if when the Captain comes on the overhead speaker to assure them everything is going to be OK, if that Captain has a Southern drawl.  Then again, a Northern Captain may not give a damn to let the people know.

    If you do decide to mosey on down to the South don't forget your manners. If you do, you will be cordially reminded.  Boomer Sooner.

Photo Credit: The Pioneer Woman (another Okie)

    

Spring Fitness - Phase II (2022)

 So, Spring Fitness 2022 did get off to a great start earlier in March of this year, but then, like a big ol' dummy, I over did it with my power walking and (Bam!) I hurt my freaking right knee to the point that I really couldn't exercise at all for about two weeks. I was really upset about it too. I went another week just nursing it and maybe stretching before allowing myself to get back into the walking but I did have to rein it in a bit and skip the part where I try to out do my last time and distance. I have to really work on not being too competitive with myself. I'm really not that competitive with anyone except me. I can let anyone pass me or go faster, longer, harder, maybe climb higher or something, but if I slack off I get really upset about it. I need to think about how hard I am on myself. I'm worth loving, too.

    Here it is April 30, and it's only Day 4 of the new beginning. I have so much time to make up, and so many calories to burn because not only was I not working out, I was actually comforting myself with more chocolate, more cookies, more ice cream, and less grapes and veggies.  I knew it wasn't the best thing to do, but there I was being really not-so-good at being healthy. I also told myself that I deserved a break from all the healthy stuff because I was applying for a new job, and finally found a great one. I was then in training, and you know, I needed the extra boost of energy from all that sugar. Wrong! I lied to myself.

    It's OK though, all is good.  Today is the last day of April, and tomorrow is not only a great new day, it's the start of a new week and a new month! I have this in the bag.  I can do it.  Tomorrow starts the new eating portion of Spring Fitness 2022; and it will be a really goodly planned out season, that's for sure. I plan very well, and when I take the time to plan things out I usually sink my heart and soul into it, and I make it happen. I rarely fail myself when I plan something.  I'll set the goal to an attainable and more reasonable number and I'll make it.  I think 10 pounds a month is doable if I can eat properly, work out, walk, box, dance, and jump rope. I just have to explain all this to my right knee so it's ready to join in with all the festivities. I forgot to mention the battle rope!! I have that too. I need to dig it out and do that tomorrow. It's in the truck of my car so I can easily get it, hook it to a fence post outside and work it for three to four minutes.

      The battle rope is amazing, and if you haven't ever done it, you may consider it. It is a full body work out and in only three to four minutes you really do feel it.  I know the extra hanging skin under my arms is tighter now and I have more of a core resistance line because of it. You may want to think about them. I think I paid $40 for mine which is really not bad at all. It was on Amazon, and it's covered in a light material; the grips are wrapped in red electrical type tape.  It is 30 feet long and 1-1/2 inches in diameter. Great work out. I bought a little anchor for it too and a D-hook thing to secure it to the fence post. You'll find picture of it on YouTube and when you order it. Make sure you buy the anchor too.

  It takes a 3500 calorie deficit to lose one pound of fat.  You can do that by eating less calories of course, and by working out and burning calories too.  It's best to do both so that you are balanced. It is really hard to just stop eating and think it's going to be healthy for you. You can lose weight that way, sure, but it's not good on the overall system(s) in the body. They can actually shut down, close off, do funky things if they think you're starving yourself. Moderation! Moderation!  Walking briskly (around 3.5 mph) for 1 hour burns about 450-500 calories depending on your size; I wear two-pound wrist weights to add another 100 calories to that. It helps. Everything helps. It's all about the numbers.

    Basically, the plan is simple. Throughout May and June I want to lose 10 pounds each month. Then in July and August I want to really work on the toning and specific body shaping so that when I do have my surgery to remove excess skin around my belly in the fall, I will have as much tone and muscle as possible which can assist in the healing process. I'm probably going to have a breast reduction and lift at the same time so that I can be in a better overall shape,  feel better about myself, bring more confidence to the picture, and basically feel that all this hard work has been for a good result. I'm not trying to look 22 again, though that would be really fun, but I would like to have a really shapely body that is stronger than it's really ever been and the way to do that is to start with the right mental picture of what that should look like.  Dieting and exercise should be replaced with a healthy lifestyle, not a fad or something you do for a few weeks to get into a particular part of jeans.

    Another form of Spring Fitness 2022 took place today when I went through all of my clothes and gave away anything and everything that I don't wear. I had 87 tee-shirts and admittedly I do wear about 1/2 of them, but I still managed to give away 51 and keep only 36.  I went through the bookshelves too, and next week I'll find other things to free myself of so that I can streamline and clear out unnecessary junk in my life. I won't ever put anything in storage. If I don't use it I don't need it. I just really don't want to drag that sort of baggage around with me. It collects dust in reality and in my head. I deserve to be free and I'm going to make that happen. 

    That is. The numbers for today were 4.1m of walking, 22.8 inch strides, 3.4 mph (but I actually walked almost exactly 1 hour to the minute and walked 4.1 miles, so that's odd to me) and I ate well today, not over doing it with calories. I also bought a bag of grapes, eggs, cheese, sausage, strawberries, tuna, and carrots for the start of this week's menu planning.  It's all in the planning!!  Happy trails.

Photo Credit: Cymax  (mine is 30 feet with red handles)

Forex Again....and Again.

 I won't actually apologize for being excited about something that makes me really happy. For years I've wanted to trade on the stock markets, but there was always something getting in the way. For years also, that which was getting in the way was money! I didn't have it. I couldn't really trade or buy because I never had enough to feel as if I was able to either make a dollar back, or be "in it" as they say. I watched it, I watched it all the time. I worked it in my head. I followed it in my mind and online when I got the chance. I will say this, I am too excited now about it. Sometimes  I have to stop myself because I will end up discussing pips and zones with people I've never met. These people probably never expected to be drawn into such a diverse conversation when they simply asked for directions to the mall!  In some ways I pity anyone looking for advice because if I run across those people I may actually feel obligated to give them good advice!  (Disclaimer: Because I am not a licensed Broker I will not give out advice. Anything I say will and should be used as information and for the purpose of learning, not being advised.) There, I covered my assets with that one. 

    When I was in the 9th grade my Civics teacher introduced me to the stock exchange through the 18 weeks we were expected to follow three separate trades. We were to keep a journal on them. This was a full grade and worth a great deal of our overall class evaluation.  We were to pick one company stock that was fast and furious, frivolous if we could find it, and we were to follow it every single day.  We had to pick a company stock that was steady and barely ever changed, and we were to pick a company that represented who we were as people; something we liked.  I chose the following companies:  Pan America Airlines as a steady Eddie, Pepsi-Cola as a stock that would flux, and Western Union because my Daddy worked there. 

    Over the course of the next 18 weeks of class we kept records, detailed records of our stocks. We were  only allowed to "Sell" if our stocks were way below market or if they closed or something drastic like that. In my case, Pan American did eventually close shop, but not when I was following it. I profited in that I made money on both Pan Am and Pepsi. Western Union was a wash to be sure. There was so little movement in that particular stock that I grew to think of my dad's employer as being perhaps the most boring place ever - - little did I know that Western Union was part of Western Electric, which is basically AT&T (American Telephone and Telegraph) which would be so very vital and play a major role in all of our lives! See, as kids we really do need to step back and see the bigger picture at times.

    That was my introduction into stocks. I still believed only rich people could play that game. I never got into it, but really wanted to.  Now, because I am a bit wiser than I was at 14, and I do see things in a better light regarding what may or may not be viable, I think I will be entering into the world of money changing - - well, to be more specific, currency trading, better known as FOREX or the Foreign Exchange. When a person travels and takes their currency to another country they must exchange their money in order to purchase anything in the country they are visiting. That's the basic and most honest level of foreign exchange out there. The thing is, a bank used to be able to use their own discretion when making the exchanges and they weren't always on the up-and-up about it. They literally chose what their exchange rate would be, and other banks and merchants were in stark competition with those banks, allowing tourists and others to get a better exchange. That has changed. Thank you, Jesus.

    Now, because of the multi-faceted and ever-so-public markets being online and running 24/7 for six days a week, no one would dare short a visitor now if they had with them their handy-dandy exchange app that literally told the clerk at the window exactly what they are expecting to receive. It's not done nearly as much, and that's a good thing. The really good thing is, you don't need a license to trade on the online market if you're using your own money. WOW!  Let me just say that again....WOW!! This is a giant step in the right direction for anyone who can be disciplined enough to work the markets. Note that I didn't say "play the game" because trading is not a game, it is a major business, churning and trading over $5,000,000,000,000....that's TRILLION dollars every single day! EVERY single day! Let that soak in for a minute. I'll take my cut, thank you.

    Currently, as of end of April 2022, I am at the very beginning stages of my training. I am loving it, and I am taking it very seriously. I have a mentor of sorts, a coach online, who has been training and teaching would-be investors for about 5 years of the past 10 years that he's been successfully trading. He's a mild mannered man of sorts, but also an aggressive trader at times. I like his style, I absolutely love his planning, research, patience, and methods as well. He is disciplined, won't jump into a trade easily, and forces himself to obey by the set rules he's come up with which work for him and they work for dozens of others he's trained. I watch. I watch his moves. I watch their moves. I learn.  

    My personal journey can be seen as I'll blog about it. You can follow me, and you can learn too. If you want to get into the Forex market I have two bits of good advice to give you; the first thing is to know what you can lose, and not to trade or gamble really with an amount you can't afford to lose. If you think the market is your friend, you're crazy.  The second bit of advice I would lend to you, to my kids, to anyone, would be to research first, practice with demo type accounts through a brokerage, it's free, and just learn everything you can...BEFORE you trade. BEFORE you spend real money. 

    For me, and maybe for you, Forex is the way to go. I think I'll end up getting into SPY which is equity stock, and I'll do more long positions, or holding the positions longer with that. I'll be rather day-traderish on one trade account, likely a penny or junk account,  and keep a more steady as she goes approach to the actual account I'll be using to make an actual living. I'll be able to save and spend with the penny-stocks and SPY accounts.  One of the reasons I want to have such as diverse portfolio is to be able to really act aggressively and get the sting out of my emotions with something small enough I can control. I won't be so flippant with the way I approach the money or currency trading. I will be more reserved and do my research. I won't say that I won't do day trading from time to time, but for the most part my plan is to make a plan, and to keep the plan. If there is one thing I do well, it is to plan for the plan. I can do that.

    There you have it. First of the month is tomorrow, I'll start a journal and keep notes about all the videos I watch, the courses I do, and the money I invest into my investing. Before long I'll be in a demo account and keep you posted on what is happening, and then I'll gradually start open trading on the actual exchange(s).  I will start very low, very slow, very methodically, and in fact be rather boring intentionally. I want to be able to know my footing. It will happen. This will happen. I have set the goals, and I have set my mind. That means it's going to come to pass. I kick my own butt to make things happen. I don't need a cheering squad or any sort of motivator - - just me. Let's do this. Forex, Baby!

Photo Credit: Tetonpinefinancial.com

(not an endorsement)

Get Serious About Getting Naked.

 You and I both know that any given day, usually every single day, we all get naked at some point during said day.  If we're honest with ourselves we should be getting naked so we can take a shower and/or take a bath and it's that bath time that I'm about to talk to you about. I just needed to get your attention long enough to drag your eyes over here to read what it is that I'm rambling on about today. I've been on a writing streak lately, and if you're gonna streak, you should be naked. If you don't get that you don't get that, but if you do, it was hilarious! 

   You may or may not care to know this, but I am one of those wild and crazy women who take a bath every single day of the week. I don't care if I end up taking a shower too; that's OK, I'm good with getting naked a couple times a day, nothing wrong with that whatsoever, but it is going to happen at least once, because I refuse to wear my clothes in the bathtub. That's just silly talk right there. Nope, this girl is buck naked when she bathes. Let it be written, so let it be done. 

    When I do take that daily bath I fill the tub with not just the hottest water I can stand (girls are so weird) but I also put in over a cup full of white vinegar, about an ounce of sweet almond oil (I say an ounce, I've very rarely measured anything in my life) and I empty about a 1/3 of a regular box of baking soda into the tub as well. But wait, I'm not finished, I also use a good amount of Dr. Teal's Lavender foaming bath Epsom salt as well - - to say I spoil myself is beyond an understatement. I am the worst and the very best to myself. I don't drink, smoke, do drugs, party, or collect things, so my baths can be a bit expensive, it's OK.

    I think the manager at Big Lots had to laugh at me today when I replenished my bath supplies. I took a big orange basket and filled it with 8 gallons of white vinegar, 16 boxes of baking soda, 4 bottles of Dr. Teal's Lavender foaming bath, and yeah, I bought a bag of shortbread cookies too; a girl's gotta eat something. The cashier asked me if it was a party at my house tonight! LOL...I told her I'd ask the dogs and cats if they had something planned because I don't. I just get myself naked and soak out all the heavy metals, stress and anxiety out of my entire system over and over again day after day. I swear, I have no worries at this point, and the last time I remember stressing I was still young enough and able to make children. I haven't been stressed in a minute or two.

    I don't even know when it was that I began filling up the bathtub in such a strange and unusual way, but nearly every time I get hugged at church or touched by someone who hasn't touched me before (that came out completely wrong) I am always complimented on how soft and smooth my skin is, and I've even had people lean into me and ask me what perfume I'm wearing because they can smell the light cast of vinegar and almonds I suppose. I usually say it's something I picked up at the store a while back. I'm not lying. If they licked me they'd probably taste the baking soda and give me a stare or two. So far I've not had anyone do that; which could in and of itself be a sad thing. I'll have to blog about my feelings concerning not being licked in another blog...not today.  (You can't see me on the floor trying to make it back into my chair from falling out of it laughing at myself.)

    Who knew getting naked could be so fun? Who knew getting naked could be so good for you, and it feels really good too. I mean after you've eliminated all the yucky toxins in your body from just walking around in polluted air every day, you need to get the smoke out of you, as well as the smudge and smog, the stuff falling into the air from being sprayed on plants, crops, in the clouds.  You can't be in the urban areas without literally being exposed to so many dangerous chemicals at the micro levels. I'm not kidding you when I say that this works. It works. I said it again, and I wasn't kidding then either. This bath concoction works.  You don't have to make your water hot as Hades, I just do that because I like to do that; most people (including me) will add cooler water to temp it down a bit at times. Does it work in cooler water? Sure. I've just never ever been a cold water fan. Even when it's really hot outside I don't do the whole icy water therapy thing - - I'm more of a Tropical Temp fan when it comes to water. Think Sea Turtle, not Polar Bear.

    There you have it. You have the best idea now for what to do with yourself next time you get naked. I mean, I can't tell you what you should or shouldn't do when you are, but at least now you know what can be done. Don't forget, and this is sooooo very important, don't forget to wipe the tub out when the water is fully drained. You don't want to slip on the oil the next day when you shower. I guess I do usually get naked twice a day; I use a big fat cup to pour the bath water all over my head about 100 times so yeah, my hair gets rather oily and I let it stay that way during the night and wash it in the morning. I don't do that if I'm not going anywhere but I do most days. You may or may not care to know this, but I don't blow dry my hair. No need. I let it dry on its own.  Now that you have that tidbit of information you'll understand why it is that I look like I've just slicked my hair back on an off day if you catch me walking the dog. Just smile. No need to ask now.

    Go ahead. You can do it. Get naked! Take time to defret yourself. The Bible says you shouldn't fret. I say you can only fret when you're playing your guitar - - otherwise, there is no need. Soak  it out. 

Photo Credit:  www.mashed.com 

    

    

DNA. What's in a Cell?

 Because I wanted to one-up my sister, and prove to her that we really were more Scottish than her Ancestry.com DNA proved us to be in 2010, I decided to take a more up to date and state of the art type DNA test through another company in 2021 - surely 11 years of technology and research in the field of DNA would prove something had changed.  What happens with the DNA results from so many years ago, is that we haven't changed, our parents and our ancestors haven't changed, but the amount of subjects and gene pool entries has changed and it has allowed for more accurate records to be pulled and pushed into the machines that eventually spit out what it is we are, who it is we are, where we came from, and more importantly, whether or not we are truly more English than we are Scottish!

    I mean, you can't force your ancestors to stop what they've already done so you can hand pick your great grands up the line! If you did that, if you could do that, you would probably not even be born at all! So where it is true that we are stuck with our DNA, we can at least hope against all odds that the tartan kilted clansmen would fight to the finish and win out over their stuff shirt English cousins! It's no wonder I fight with myself over and over and over again. There simply isn't room enough inside these cells to accommodate the two sides of my family when they begin to feud at the microscopic level. 

    My Scottish (pure Scottish you understand) friends will all but laugh out loud at me when I mention that I'm about 44% Scottish. Ha! They say, "I'm 100% Scottish" oh, but that's not necessarily true. They'd be shocked to find out how the Irish creep in, how the English maneuver, and how the Welsh hide so intricately among the folds in the nucleuses and they scream "I AM ALIVE IN YOU!" when they get the chance. The thing is though, when the Welsh scream it, it sounds differently, and all the letters are squished together so you really have no idea what they just said, but you have a clue really that they're pretty excited to be able to say you're not as pure as you thought you were. Remember, the Scots didn't drop onto the isles from Heaven! They came in big ships from Scandinavia and from up the coast on either side! There are very very few Scots who can actually say they are 100% Scots. They just don't want to take the DNA tests to prove it. They like bragging about their family trees. That's nice, my family trees can be and have been researched as far back as the 13th Century - - it's just those Stringfellow/Strengfelauge and other ways to spell it, came from Jolly Ol' England! DAMMIT!

    I did the MyHeritage kit and it came back that I was 30% Scandinavian, 28% English, 24% Scottish, 12% Iberian, and 5% Italian. No Irish, no Welsh. No Native American, but I sort of knew that. The whole thing with the fight for my blood however, is still up in the air because of the 30% Scandinavia thing. I wrote to the lab people at MyHeritage and was told that though they can't really pinpoint it at this time, but as time goes on there will be a more accurate telling since more and more people with the same markers that I have will have ancestors that are from identifiable places where pockets of that particular DNA match(es) are found.  Maybe in 10 years I'll be more Scottish than I am English. The way I was instructed to address the Celt/Viking issue is to find out from which grouping I am from and they had another test for that. Turns out, and this excites me, we are far far far more Celt than anything else, and yes, that means that more of my Scandinavian family and/or peeps landed, stayed, and cultivated in the Scottish isles before moving southward. YEA!

    My mother's maiden name is Edwards. Go figure. (don't get excited, I don't use my mother's maiden name for any passwords) My mother's mother is a Free and her mom's mom is a Hague.  Mom's father was an Edwards,  his mother was something English as well. The most and best I can find that leads to the Scottish sides are the Stringfellows on my dad's side and there was (and is) a great grandmother on mom's side who is from Edinburgh, so I'll cling to that. Dad's side has the most promising show of Celts who remained in what became Scotland and Northern England, a border area that was Scottish for hundreds if not thousands of years, but it wasn't Scottish most of the time as there were no Scots then, it belonged to the Celts.  I'm not happy that the Celts were not Christian, but that's another blog for another time. I'd rather say I'm a Celt than a Saxon. Actually, I'm Celt, then Viking, then Saxon; to be more specific. I may have more English in me, but damn it I have more Celt!

    The way the MyHeritage people put it was that I can divide the Scandinavian 30% into parts that correlate to the people who came down the west or east side of Scotland; that would make me more Celt and more "Scottish" by about another 65% of the 30% Scandinavians...so let's see, 65% of 30% is 19.5.  That means I can add 19.5 (round it to 20) to my 24% Scottish and I'm 44% Scottish. That leaves 35% of 30% which is 10.5, so round it up to 11, and I'm 39% English. YES! YES! YES!  I will take that. I'm not messing with the 12% Iberian or the 5% Italian. I'll accept them both since they have pigment to their skin and this would explain why only 17% of my body actually tans in the summer's sun! There had to be a reason, and now I know.  Thank you, DNA. 

    Bottom line? I'm happy to be Celtic. I really don't believe what they believed, as I am a born again believer and follower of Christ, but eventually they too became converted because of the ministers and priests in Ireland. Someone somewhere decided to follow Jesus and for generations we Stringfellows and Edwards have been packing the pews ever since. I'm simply fascinated by the science behind all of the tests.  A person could submit a test and not fill out any forms so the lab would be doing a blind testing and the lab would come back with exactly what that person's genealogy research had shown. In my family's case, my sister did the genealogy stuff for years. She was stumped for a minute and I picked it back up. She basically stopped at Plymouth Rock. We were here before that. We landed in the colonies in 1660 from Edinburgh (Stringfellows) and in the late 1600's with the Edwards side. I'm pretty sure we were some of the first to make mud pies in Virginia.  

    It's fun to know where you came from, and it's fun to realize where you're going next.  For me, I can't have the latter without the former. I need to know where my soul is leading me and why every time I hear a bagpipe my heart skips a beat....and now I know. I guess I've always known. It's the same thing I feel when I see a mossy moor or close my eyes to know I am surrounded by love and warm wishes of those who have lived before me. We will meet again, "when it's my turn to fly", I can't wait.

Photo Credit: Wikipedia.com

    

Outlander - My Thoughts.

 I'm not completely alone, but I think I'm among the minority of those who hadn't really heard of nor watched the Starz series "Outlander" several years ago. Nope, I literally just heard of it last summer, that would be 2021; and I think I binge watched every episode from Season 1 through Season 5 in just under two weeks time. I even went back and watched the entire thing again only because I had paid for a three month subscription to Starz and besides the more than well-worth-it-ness of it all, I found myself listening to the Scottish accents, drinking in the scenery, and trying my hardest to learn as much authentic history as one can assume is mixed up inside a fictional time traveling wonderlust series as possible. I loved every episode, but no, I didn't love every second of it. I'll explain.

    I'm not much of a Jamie Frazer groupie, not in the sense that I think he's the best looking, most attractive, or sexiest male character in the series. I like Jamie because he's a strong and lovely man with a heart for his wife and a good sense of loyalty both to Scotland and to his personal ideals; far be it from me to say whether I agree with his politics or religious views.  I appreciate the strong character. Personally, if I was to pick one or the other of the men to fancy it would be Roger MacKenzie or Rupert MacKenzie. Rupert wasn't married, and my morals would have gotten in the way a bit if I had been time-trapped on The Ridge and given a chance to chase Roger.  Nope, I would have needed to be transported just before April 16, 1745 near Culloden in the Highlands and maybe found ol' Rupert by the fire.  Maybe I would have been able to coax him away from the battle - - tricked him somehow; saved him. Maybe not.

    Many people won't say this, but I'm actually glad the series is almost ended. I have great fondness for so many of the characters and going on and on with the plots and seemingly endless twists have almost brought me to the point of boredom! If Claire got raped one more time I think I would have had to throw something at the screen before I fast-forwarded to a better scene! Enough is enough! I think the producers felt the same as I did. Not to be too callous about it, but the last couple of episodes in Season 6 have been equally boring as far as Claire Frazer is concerned. I was pissed, as everyone was perhaps, that Marva was allowed to cut off Claire's hair, but it did shake up the monotony of seeing Claire dose herself over and over again with her homemade ether potion. Nothing could have kept my attention when I saw the ghost or mind-trick of Lionel Brown again and again in the surgery room, the place he was murdered.  I will say he deserved it, and sorry, I think Marva got what she deserved as well.  The baby didn't need to die; that was sad. 

   Bree and Roger's mention of Perry Mason and the fact that he could have easily solved Marva's murder was in fact, my favorite moment of the entire series I think. OK...that's not true. Staring at Roger and Rupert was excitable and enjoyable; but I do wish the travelers could have let on a bit more to the audience regarding their origins.  I liked every mention of their future selves. I would have really loved it if Ian could have been transported into 1944 to see a dermatologist to possibly remove his facial tats if he wanted to do that; who knows?  I know we can't wrap up every loose end, but Jamie's sister Jenny and her husband Ian should have had the opportunity to see their son growing up and even though they would not have quite appreciated his choices they may have understood that they helped him to be the stronger person he eventually became.  I like Ian a great deal.

    So, my finale thoughts? All in all I'm giving the series a strong and solid 8 out of 10 for entertainment and maybe a 7 out of 10 for authenticity. To be able to think that much of it was true was good enough, and to know there is obviously going to be conflicting stories and creative license(s) used is evident. I loved it. I liked it. I respected it. I admired it, but I am glad it's coming to an end. I can only take so much of the over crudeness and harshness of the ignorant folk. I know it must have been that way, but I don't like to think of my ancestors as being completely brutish. My personal ancestors had been in Virginia about 173 years before the Revolutionary War. I know where their loyalties were; I myself am not in need of a time-machine-rock to know what must have happened to the Stringfellows when it came time to enlist with the Rebels to fight the King's Men.  I have history on my side for that.

    The books are no doubt as good if not better than the movies could ever be, but I wonder if Roger could be any more handsome in the pages written about him. I doubt it. At least now if I do ever have time to sit and read the innovative and imaginative tales of the people of my people I will be able to put faces with names and images with fanciful visions as I bury myself ever so deeply into the folds of fantastical witness through inkened colloguy!  Oh, to be in the Highlands with tartaned kilted men of mind and muscle -- knowing what I know now, I would have to bring a few rolls of toilet paper with me through the rocks. That much I know. 

Photo Credit: The Quiz Bliss  (Roger MacKenzie)