Archives for 2023

Though I am far from an expert; way far, I read “Buddhism emphasizes the cultivation of four “sublime” or “noble” attitudes toward all beings: loving-kindness (friendliness), compassion (willing to cease suffering), appreciative joy (feeling happy for others), and equanimity (calm based on wisdom).” These are known as the “Four Immeasurables.” 

If you don’t live or strive to live any of these behaviors, your career choices are somewhat limited.  You can do the following:

• Go into politics.
• Buy Twitter.
• Become a white supremacist. 
• Move to Palm Beach, Florida.

Our Friends at the AARP Magazine published an article quoting Alexis Supan, an outpatient dietitian with the Cleveland Clinic Center for Integrative & Lifestyle Medicine.  “Mostly any vegetable besides potato, corn and peas, you can eat endlessly.”  Ignoring the questionable syntax, I was intrigued and wanted to see the list.  

Indulge in these to your heart’s content, along with a balanced diet.

1. Celery
2. Lettuce
3. Watermelon
4. Broccoli and cauliflower
5. Grapefruit
6. Mushrooms
7. Berries (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries)
8. Kiwi
9. Carrots
10. Spinach and kale

I eat everything on the list yet am always fighting a weight gain.  I ate two heads if iceberg lettuce last week and gained 2 pounds.  I suppose there may have been better choices than the fried bologna, mayonnaise and Wonder Bread I ate with the greenery.  
(Note to self: Try a kiwi, carrot, cauliflower and Kale sandwich on lettuce leaves for lunch and then get on the scale.  If that does not work I am at a loss).

I anticipate 10 chapters in this, volume one of a 4-part series.  I started it in 1999, (24 years ago, so an average of 8 years per chapter).  If I do the math correctly Book 1 should be ready for publication in 2079.  

I hope you are all still around to celebrate with me!

     For those of you fortunate enough to be a friend of Geoff’s know he is a walking Encyclopedia of Music and musical artists.  I have discovered many favorites through his posts and have expanded my interest in all types of music.  So my quick foray into his realm is only to tell you about a video on YouTube I came across one sleepless night.
     I have always loved Etta James’ rendition of “I’d Rather be Blind.”  You might not be able to beat it, but the one from Singer Beth Hart and guitarist Joe Bonamassa from their 2015 “Live in Amsterdam” is amazing as well.

Just Google: YouTube Joe Bonamassa Beth Hart I’d Rather go Blind (9:43)

In the words of Hans and Franz: “Listen now and believe me later!”

A 12 month study published last year in The New England Journal of Medicine compared time-restricted feeding — limiting eating to an 8-hour window each day — to the more conventional daily calorie restriction diet and found no difference in the final results.  But does it have a place in the pantheon of eternal dieters?
Here is an interview with a former intermittent faster that brings clarity to the world of dieting:

Me:  Have you been on this type of restrictive diet before?
Me:  Yes, I’ve been on every diet that has ever existed.
Me:  And did any of them work?
Me:  Yes, they all did…and they all didn’t.
Me:  That’s a stupid answer!
Me:  Well that’s what you get when you ask a stupid question!
Me:  Who do you think you are talking to me like that?
Me:  Oh buzz-off butt-munch.  I’ll talk to you any way I like.
Me:  You are being paid to help these people lose weight.  Say something profound.
Me:  Eat a salad and take a walk.
Me:  I think that clears it up.  Thank you for being here.
Me:  Like I had a choice?

Stay tuned for more brilliant weight-loss tips and information; news you can use!

I don’t think I have been this distraught since Kim and Kanye broke up.  This is going to hit me in the wallet.  I think I mailed two letters last month. 
Dam Inflation!

Before all you master spellers get upset at my spelling of D-A-M, know that I am bringing awareness to a problem that we are facing in the repair of our broken infrastructure.  We need more dams and the cost to build one has risen significantly along with bread and milk.

Now don’t you feel silly? 

This from the wisest man in all of history, King Solomon (Proverbs 18:21).  Speaking badly of someone is akin to murder.

So before you say anything mean about the creepy pond scum representative who lied his way into the U.S. Congress, the reptilian sociopath that haunts Palm Beach, Florida, or the wacky q-anon psychopath rep from Georgia, stop and think… then, in these 3 cases, proceed to say the worst.  They have no reputation to harm.

Anyone else?  Give them a break.

You all know that I am a believer in the ravages of climate change and want to do everything in my power to help heal the earth.  So when I received an email today from The Climate Reality Project giving me three options to help return the world to a sustainable future, I hopped on board.  The first option was to send them money and I passed on that one before you could say “Melting ice caps!”  The second option was to sign up to be on their SMS list and be interrupted all day by the Sherwood Forest tone alert on my environmentally friendly iPhone.  I resolved to make a major positive impact by following their third suggestion, that is, demand that Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber resign from his role as CEO of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company ahead of COP 28. 

Not quite sure what the problem is with him but if it’s this or donate money I say to the Abu Dhabi Sultan of Sweat, “Resign you profligate before I am forced to lay hands upon you. Don’t make me come down there!” 

I’d like to see him ignore that!

Do you want to increase your happiness and brag about attending Yale University (It’s not Harvard, but it beats the New Haven Jr. College for the Uninspired)?

Yale University is offering a free on-line class titled, “The Science of Well-Being.”   The course is a condensed version of the one that Dr. Laurie Santos began teaching in 2018, which quickly became the most popular class in the university’s 321-year history.   Dr. Santos told Yale News “We all are working on feeling happier and working on helping the people we care about feel happier.  We don’t always know the best ways to do it.”  This course will help.

I’d include a link to the site but if you can’t figure out how to Google it, an on-line course is probably not for you.  Just be happy you don’t have to go back to school.

     A Swedish company, LKAB, said in a press release that it uncovered more than 1 million metric tons of rare earth oxides. 
This is important for 2 reasons:
     1.  This material is essential for an array of products ranging from cellphones to wind turbines and electric car engines.
     2.  Currently China dominates the market in rare earth minerals as well as General Tso’s Chicken; two things we must have to maintain our way of life! 

     Sign the petition to establish a national holiday honoring Sweden to show our gratitude  for all they have done for America.  This is Sweden’s second significant contribution to fighting a climate change disaster; the first being activist Greta Thunberg, founder of Fridays for Future.  Additionally they have given us affordable do-it-yourself furniture that is so much fun to assemble, the Volvo,  crepes that double as pancakes, A Man Called Ove, Ingmar Bergman (eh?), savory meatballs that are the standard by which all other meatballs are judged, Lisbeth Salander, Malin Akerman and Alicia Vikander.  We owe them Big Time!

Tack så mycket, Sverige!