...But I LIKE Veggies!

I recently decided to step up my efforts to get healthier.  Since I can't afford health insurance, I figure that by losing weight and making healthy food choices, I'll be able to lower my blood pressure and not have to face the gouging at the pharmacy for BP meds.


I bought a jump rope and found out that, like riding a bike, it's something my body automatically remembered how to do.  I added jumping rope to simple bodyweight exercises, and my muscles are toning up.


However, I decided to also eat more veggies and less meat.  I found that my version of stir-fry is quite delicious - I use olive oil, which may cost a little more, but it's quite tasty and healthy.  I've chopped up all kinds of things to put in the pan - celery, bell peppers, jalapeño peppers, onion, garlic, tomatoes, eggplant, yellow squash, zucchini, and carrots.  My new favorite is the eggplant, although it soaks up a lot of oil while cooking.


I also rediscovered an old favorite - sweet potatoes.  I used to love sweet potato pie during the holidays, which my mom and both grandmothers fixed.  I got some the other day and baked them in the oven and ate them as they were.  AWESOME!  Why the heck did my folks add marshmallows?  Those suckers are naturally sweet!  I looked up some nutrition factoids, and it looks like sweet potatoes are also a very healthy vegetable.


I'm excited at the prospect of trimming down.  So much so that I put a picture of me from high school on my Facebook page to inspire me to reach a fit and trim weight, and to perhaps start running again - potentially competitively.


YEAH!!!!!

Random Bit of Conversation Between My 10-yr-old and Me...

Ty: Dad! Why is there a centaur light on?

Me: A what?

Ty (pointing to the seat belt warning light which, if you have a vivid imagination, DOES kinda look like a centaur rearing up): THAT light right there!

Me: Oh, that? It’s the Centaur Early Warning Light. It reminds me to check the rear-view mirror before I drive off, to avoid being trampled by centaurs. So far it’s worked pretty darned well.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I am thankful for so many things.  I am thankful for my faith - in God and in myself - to help me through these tough times.  I am also thankful for my health, my family, having a roof over my head, and being able to become more involved in community activities - I sing regularly in our small choir at church (sometimes I have been the cantor as well), I work at many Oklahoma State University sporting events as part of the event staff, and I do other things around town that often go unnoticed.

Today, I got to speak out on The Takeaway, a radio program based in NYC and broadcast on public radio stations all around.  Here is my segment:

Giving Thanks in Tough Economic Times - The Takeaway

Walk a Mile in My Shoes

I sometimes wonder why people work at jobs they hate. I love working. Before I was laid off, I looked forward each day to going to work. Maybe I didn’t make a big impact on the world, but I felt that what I did actually made a difference for somebody. And since I was laid off, I still face each temporary job with the hope that I can do something to help somebody.


Believe me, the things I’ve done have been far from glamorous. Indeed, some of the people I’ve come in contact with seem to look down on me condescendingly, and a few have been downright contemptuous because of some perceived superiority that they have over me. Still, I smile and treat them as I would like to be treated – with kindness and respect. And I have taken on a new level of appreciation for those who also work in low-paying positions. Sure, I don’t go out to eat as often as I used to, but when I do, I still manage to leave a decent tip, because I know how much that means – not just in terms of extra money, but also to let the person know that what they do is truly appreciated.


Have you ever thought about what your life would be like if your roles were reversed with the people you see every day? If you see me running a cash register, or flipping burgers, or ushering you to your luxury skybox, would you consider trading places with me and letting me see the same smile that I am giving you? I love my job – how about you?