Welcome to The Orracle Blogsite! While this blog is about a variety of things, I now have a focus on wellness, health and fitness. I spent four weeks in April 2011 at Hilton Head Health and am living this new lifestyle to the fullest now! Come, read and live it with me!
INTRO: Hello, my name is The Orracle and I eat salads that are fruity.
RESPONSE: Welcome, Orracle.
I feel like I need to join FSA….Fruity Salads Anonymous…..or is that sal-anon? I know that The Rube may have a heyday with the 'Fruity Salad Guy' title. I had no choice but to go with it!
I have always liked salads. I like them with lots of toppings but those toppings were always manly toppings like onions, peppers and most importantly, blue cheese dressing. We’re not talking low fat blue cheese. We’re talking home-made or really bad for you dressing like Maries. My first changes after Hilton Head Health were to move to the Dip and Spear methodology. That has allowed me to maintain the heavier dressings but just use very little of it. Two containers at a restaurant was barely enough before where now I can get by with ¼ of a single container/cup.
One day, I did not have any ‘good’ dressing. Ashlie had some raspberry vinaigrette. I decided to try it and why not throw some strawberries on it. I was instantly hooked. Then we found a better raspberry dressing from Panera that Target carries. It looks like raspberry jam it is so red! This dressing is 20 calories per 2 TBSP. Pouring this one on is safer and easier since it is a little bit thin to dip and spear. There is a Kraft version of this dressing that is an OK runner-up if you cannot find the Panera version.
The salad pictured below is the current favorite recipe.
• Salad greens of your choice
• Cut up strawberries
• Fresh blueberries
• Fresh blackberries
• Grape tomatoes
• Crushed, unsalted pecans (approx 10 pecans)
• Small amount of reduced fat crumbled feta cheese
• Panera Bread Raspberry Vinaigrette
I still love blue cheese but this is right up there and in this concoction, very healthy and as low in fat and calories as you can get!
I am in Miramar, FL this week again. As some co-workers and I talked about my success in losing weight and the terrific plan I have in place thanks to my best friends at Hilton Head Health, I mentioned that I tend to eat mostly at chain restaurants. This co-worker reminded me about a past blog post that I could not find but definitely remember. She reminded me about how I used to rant about hotels referring me to 'great' places to eat only to find out it is a chain restaurant.
She is right. I used to go on and on about how stupid it was to eat at chain restaurants when you were in a new city. Certainly there are better places to eat than a chain! Think of the great BBQ I have had in Richmond or Memphis or numerous places in Texas. Think of the Southern Cooking I had the the Loveless in Nashville. Think about the special wings and fried tacos from Michael's on Main in Omaha. Yes, the mom & pop places certainly are tasty. That might have been part of the problem that brought me to H3 in the first place!
Before I shove the local joints completely under the bus, let's assume I could get away with ordering better food there. Still, it would be somewhat of a mystery if I actually could succeed and therefore avoid them. Now, I know if a place offers steak and fish that I can find something in the safe zone.
I have found the value in chain restaurants. Many now have nutrition information available on the menu or minimally on websites such as calorieking.com. Good luck finding out the number of calories in the buscuits and gravy or the catfish nuggets at The Loveless Cafe.
Yes, my position has changed. We have to change from time to time. We learn and grow with our maturity and knowledge. Even The Rube might suggest I have made some other funamental changes in the way I think about certain things.
With my travel schedule, I am now a junkie and a disciple of Applebee's and Ruby Tuesday or even Red Lobster. After being bashed in the 'worst places to eat out', The Cheesecake Factory has cried Uncle and announced their new Skinnylicious menu debuting in August and September chain wide. With 2 of 3 people in the USA being classified as obese, I think that this is a good thing. These places need to make this information known. The Rube may disagree with this but I am in full support of the new law requiring restaurants to have calorie information on all menus. People just have NO idea how bad the food they are eating really is. I do now and that makes my change of mind justified.
I am deviating from my recent flurry of posts on health and wellness to comment on a story today in the papers about the Space Shuttle program.
The headline was suggesting the epitaph for the program.....
"WE TRIED"
Are they serious? The story refers to the shuttles as a failure to deliver cheaper space travel with a reusable vehicle. The program cost $196 billion originating back in the late 70's. First of all, let's compare that to the Federal Stimulus package that was going to save our nation. That cost us $787 billion and promised to keep the unemployment rate below 8% if I remember correctly. It saved a bunch of union jobs and for a good long while now, the jobless rate has been over 9%. I consider the stimulus a MAJOR fail. If my numbers are wrong on the percentages, I am sure The Rube will correct me. Back to the shuttle story...
There were 134 shuttle missions. I looked up the cost of the Apollo Saturn V rockets per launch (non reuseable) and loosely adjusted for inflation, it actually was cheaper at $111 billion which surprised me. Then again, the technology was a little less considering a calculator or cell phone today had more computing power than the computer on the Apollo missions. Furthermore, the Saturn V and capsule limited each mission to 3 people with little room to do experiments and studies. I think the shuttles were VERY good in that regard.
Lastly, they touted the shuttles as having cost 14 lives. Yes, it is sad. I think it is a miracle that only 3 men died on Apollo spacecraft (Apollo 1 fire in a test on the ground). I have read countless books by Gene Krantz and others of the early NASA days and they fully admitted that many of their decisions were by the seat of their pants. They were highly skilled and brilliant people but don't discount being lucky.
Every astronaut knows that they are strapping themselves to a controlled bomb. Given the opportunity and risk, they all go ahead to have that chance. Space travel is not trivial even with as many missions as there have been.
So, to the Space Shuttle program, I wish you well. I think you were a success. We cheer the triumphs and remember those that died doing what they loved. I have seen it launch from Orlando and once from Titusville. It rips on your soul as you watch that magnificent fireball reach into the sky. That is not failure in my book.
I found this story reprinted in the StarTribune today from the LA Times. I find it completely misleading! You can follow this link or you can just read it below since it is so short.
Seriously? This is the biggest problem we have with the drastic rise in obesity? If the real problem is 'a pound a year of weight gain', then I guess I can go with it. Plus, it makes you think that soft drinks might just be OK. Guess what....they are not!
If you get some space to write a wellness column, use it for something productive like addressing the REAL problems! I think what bugs me the most is that scientists from Harvard analyzed data to come to this conclusion. They are probably tenured jackasses that have nothing better to do but spend some grant money on useless studies like this. I know the concept of 'tenure' bothers me but I know it bothers my buddy, The Rube too!
Why can't they spend their time and money studying and publishing something that stands a chance to change the knowledge level of Americans and nutrition as it relates to obesity? I could rant forever but I think I will just stop now!
My weblife has become routine, predictable and somewhat boring. I am in a rut! How many MILLION websites are there and I hit the same handful without any idea where to go next?
My Staples...
Startribune.com or wcco.com for the local news
Woot.com to see what the deal of the day is
Facebook.com - many times a day for updates and to see who might be out there now only to be dissapointed that Al has not joined yet
Yahoo mail - I get lots of travel emails there.
Sirius.com (on workdays) to listen to Howard
Most of the time...
USATODAY.com - I always like to see what McPaper has going on - especially the travel section
CNN.com - no idea why - kind of a last resort to find something interesting
videopoker.com - this goes in spurts like recently for the tournament that was held. I like this site - great videopoker. I pay the $5 a month to get access to all of the functionality
YouTube just to try to find something entertaining
That is about it! I might hit Tripadvisor.com when planning a trip but other than that, I can never think of where to go next.
I need for you, my readers to be the Viagra to my Weblife and spice it up for me! Show me what I have been missing (closed circuit to The Rube - I don't mean porn sites!!).
Throughout the campaign, I have had the feeling like neither candidate was worthy. Today, I made an unpopular choice. Yeah, that means I did not vote for Obama. I still don't know what this guy stands for.
He talks nice. He speaks well. He says the right things. His grandma died. He still told me nothing.
This may seem a little obvious, but I think this. It will either be the best thing to happen to America in a long time or the worst....no gray area here. If he can do what he eludes to in "change" and so many supporters think he can do as proven by the most financially rich campaign ever, it would be great.
As I gaze at the local and national crowds gathered to support, I saw some trends.
Young people. Why? They just want to buck the current status - no matter what it is and by that I mean even if Bush was not a dork and no matter if this country was not in the financial crapper, they would buck that system too.
Black people. Dancing, singing.....for a while, the scene was reminiscient of a House of Blues Gospell Brunch I went to in Vegas once (which sucked by the way).
Old people. (no comment)
Urban centers of people. This includes many of my categories above. I have news for you...America was built in the country - not in urban centers filled with college students and minorities.
The resounding image and theme is one that The Rube might be responsible for making me recognize. Largely....BUT NOT ENTIRELY...this group represents the lowest wages, people with the least to lose type of people. If Obama wants to tax the living hell out of us, it is US not THEM that take it in the shorts.
I found myself at odds with this crew. I am not rich but we do make a nice living. I do not relate myself with that crowd. I don't really want to support those that don't work. There is a resounding difference between don't and can't. If you are disabled as my father is, I will be the first to throw my tax money to you. That is a bit of a misstatement by me though as my dad, although a parapalegic, worked his ass off all of his life until retirement. He did NOT just take was was offered to him. Others, well - I think they see this time in our country as a time for entitlement to them.
I heard comments tonight on TV of groups of african-americans saying how this will change things for their kids. Perhaps. I hope they realize that Obama being president will not suddenly stop the gang bangers from gang banging, drive bys from killing others and illicit activity that plagues that community.
Let's hope these few things. A) Hussein is just bad luck in naming convention (geek speak) for him and not a sign of his true roots. B) the white minority does not really become a white minority C) he really is a true American despite his lack of flags on lapels and airplanes
Tonight was historic. Let's hope the historic is not just based on rhetoric.
No surgery. How can that be? Is this doc a crackpot? How can the doc in 2002 be so adamant about it and I went AMA only to have it bleed out in September this year but this doc says I do not need surgery? It's not that I want the surgery. Frankly, I am a chicken shit and it really cramps my schedule.
Well, here is the deal. He saw the mastoiditis although he said it is not the whole mastoid. He thinks a little prednisone and more antibiotic (my gut it gonna be eaten away) should take care of it for now. He does want to see me in two weeks to be 100% sure, but at this point, he thinks we stay away from the knife. The best part of the visit was that Jessa got to witness deep ear suctioning for the first time. The look on my face combined with the sound and the fact that I plugged the suction tip 2 times!!! Having it done really sucks, literally, but I am used to it after having it done so many times in my life.
This just in....Rube Nation Tries a Honeycrisp....
This one day, The Rube calls me. He is shocked at how much the Honeycrisps were on his grocery bill. At this point, still no word on whether he likes them or not. The offer still stands to buy them from you at 1/2 price.
Looks like there is hope to go to Saskatoon yet! I was reading a story on Lorrie Morgan having just filed bankruptcy to "reorganize her company". Turns out she is broke. What part of "do not spend more than you have" don't you understand Lorrie? I guess when she sang "Something in Red", she was talking about her bottom line. She says she needs to reorganize her company after her recent divorce from Sammy Kershaw. Don't Go Near The IRS Man, Sammy....don't worry about the water! The best part is that this is ex-hubby #5 for Morgan. Al is only through 2. That means we can have a wedding for Al in Saskatoon, then #4 in Moose Jaw and #5 in Winnipeg just to be different and experience a different province. Of course, all divorce celebrations to be held in Vegas.
Prior to being sidetracked on Al's future weddings, I thought about this a little deeper. Lorrie's "company" needs to be reorganized. Company? Look, your music stopped selling. The reorganization needs to be an effort to find a new line of work! In the sprirt of this though, I had a band once with some friends. I'd like to reorganize and try again. To offset my wage loss while I work on this little project, I will just file bankruptcy to protect my assets. Great plan!
I liked matching a living live song up to something on my mind so much last time with the (non) global warming theme that I decided to do it again.
I am a Minnesotan. I bleed purple. I just happen to live in Wisconsin. That changes nothing.
There's this guy...named Brett Favre. He is an OK QB that has retired twice. (Al might argue that he is starting to look like Garth Brooks). Editor's note: The Orracle likes to imagine what Al might think.
Anyway, this clown, whom I have never liked cannot make up his mind. He wants to retire, he wants to play. He cries when he retires. He cries when he decides to come back. He needs therapy.
Commuting to the cities, I see so many Cheesehead Rubes (not to be mistaken for "The Rube") with the "G" license plates. I think they need a new plate for Packer fans with a tear on it next to a number 4. Honestly Brett, grow a pair and stop the sniveling.
So, for the crybaby Brett, here is Roy Orbison singing Crying. P.S., I looked for an old 80's one hit wonder song called CRY but could not find it because I do not know who sings it. Oh well, Orbison is the bomb.
Today, Newsweek (A Pillar of Journalism Excellence as stated by The Rube) released THE REPORT. Which one? The one that makes it official that global warming has caused the nasty floods, etc this summer.
Newsweek, just a couple of days ago (practically in "earth" time) reported widespread GLOBAL COOLING. That artical was published on April 28, 1975. 33 years ago. WOW! You can read that article by clicking HERE.
Hey ORRACLE - this is not a Living Live post! YES IT IS! In honor of the 1975 article, here is Foreigner with Cold as Ice LIVE! I will post the Newsweek article below the youtube box as well.
Over and out....the Brrrrrracle.
NEWSWEEK ARTICLE FULL:
There are ominous signs that the Earth’s weather patterns have begun to change dramatically and that these changes may portend a drastic decline in food production – with serious political implications for just about every nation on Earth. The drop in food output could begin quite soon, perhaps only 10 years from now. The regions destined to feel its impact are the great wheat-producing lands of Canada and the U.S.S.R. in the North, along with a number of marginally self-sufficient tropical areas – parts of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indochina and Indonesia – where the growing season is dependent upon the rains brought by the monsoon.
The evidence in support of these predictions has now begun to accumulate so massively that meteorologists are hard-pressed to keep up with it. In England, farmers have seen their growing season decline by about two weeks since 1950, with a resultant overall loss in grain production estimated at up to 100,000 tons annually. During the same time, the average temperature around the equator has risen by a fraction of a degree – a fraction that in some areas can mean drought and desolation. Last April, in the most devastating outbreak of tornadoes ever recorded, 148 twisters killed more than 300 people and caused half a billion dollars’ worth of damage in 13 U.S. states.
To scientists, these seemingly disparate incidents represent the advance signs of fundamental changes in the world’s weather. The central fact is that after three quarters of a century of extraordinarily mild conditions, the earth’s climate seems to be cooling down. Meteorologists disagree about the cause and extent of the cooling trend, as well as over its specific impact on local weather conditions. But they are almost unanimous in the view that the trend will reduce agricultural productivity for the rest of the century. If the climatic change is as profound as some of the pessimists fear, the resulting famines could be catastrophic. “A major climatic change would force economic and social adjustments on a worldwide scale,” warns a recent report by the National Academy of Sciences, “because the global patterns of food production and population that have evolved are implicitly dependent on the climate of the present century.”
A survey completed last year by Dr. Murray Mitchell of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reveals a drop of half a degree in average ground temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere between 1945 and 1968. According to George Kukla of Columbia University, satellite photos indicated a sudden, large increase in Northern Hemisphere snow cover in the winter of 1971-72. And a study released last month by two NOAA scientists notes that the amount of sunshine reaching the ground in the continental U.S. diminished by 1.3% between 1964 and 1972.
To the layman, the relatively small changes in temperature and sunshine can be highly misleading. Reid Bryson of the University of Wisconsin points out that the Earth’s average temperature during the great Ice Ages was only about seven degrees lower than during its warmest eras – and that the present decline has taken the planet about a sixth of the way toward the Ice Age average. Others regard the cooling as a reversion to the “little ice age” conditions that brought bitter winters to much of Europe and northern America between 1600 and 1900 – years when the Thames used to freeze so solidly that Londoners roasted oxen on the ice and when iceboats sailed the Hudson River almost as far south as New York City.
Just what causes the onset of major and minor ice ages remains a mystery. “Our knowledge of the mechanisms of climatic change is at least as fragmentary as our data,” concedes the National Academy of Sciences report. “Not only are the basic scientific questions largely unanswered, but in many cases we do not yet know enough to pose the key questions.”
Meteorologists think that they can forecast the short-term results of the return to the norm of the last century. They begin by noting the slight drop in overall temperature that produces large numbers of pressure centers in the upper atmosphere. These break up the smooth flow of westerly winds over temperate areas. The stagnant air produced in this way causes an increase in extremes of local weather such as droughts, floods, extended dry spells, long freezes, delayed monsoons and even local temperature increases – all of which have a direct impact on food supplies.
“The world’s food-producing system,” warns Dr. James D. McQuigg of NOAA’s Center for Climatic and Environmental Assessment, “is much more sensitive to the weather variable than it was even five years ago.” Furthermore, the growth of world population and creation of new national boundaries make it impossible for starving peoples to migrate from their devastated fields, as they did during past famines.
Climatologists are pessimistic that political leaders will take any positive action to compensate for the climatic change, or even to allay its effects. They concede that some of the more spectacular solutions proposed, such as melting the Arctic ice cap by covering it with black soot or diverting arctic rivers, might create problems far greater than those they solve. But the scientists see few signs that government leaders anywhere are even prepared to take the simple measures of stockpiling food or of introducing the variables of climatic uncertainty into economic projections of future food supplies. The longer the planners delay, the more difficult will they find it to cope with climatic change once the results become grim reality.
How can it be that she wins our American Idol pool again. Is this 3 or 4 years consecutively? It is not like she had the first pick every year. Nor did she have any special insight - no matter what BS she gives you.
We pick when there are 20 or 24 players left (usually 24). The draft order is random. To actually score the winner is a guess at that point since the show is obviously rigged and every knows Chekezie was the best this year. OK, I'll conceed that maybe he was not #1 but....Carli was the best - but did they win? NOOOO! It came down to "Diapers" and "Swirly".
I guess since it was down to them and that made my $10 bill go to either The Rube or Sabrina, I'd have to pick her just on looks alone. Although, if Diapers would have won, we would not have had to endure the upcoming right-wing-conspiracy-its-the-liberals-fault crap that The Rube is about to spill all over us.
I don't see Sabs as being the type to gloat, but this might change her. I mean, she really is the undisputed AI Champ at LTCG. I think minimally, drinks on her are in order. Oh, and you might want to buy a lottery ticket.
I had some annonymous comments that I was SURE came from The Rube. I accused him and he declined involvement. I really did not believe him. All along it was an old friend of mine from high school that I had lost contact with. Major Parke Paulson, USMC. I should have figured it out by the "setting your ankle on fire" comment. OK, I was drunk that night....those brain cells are dead.
Since the comments, we have exchanged some email and a phone call. How great it is to catch up with someone. For those of you that do not know, Parke is the reason I now know to ask where a wedding is before agreeing to be the Best Man. Our conversation on that went like this....
Parke: Will you be my best man?
Lyle: SURE - I'd be honored.
Parke: Great the wedding is in June....in Regina, Saskatchewan.
Lyle: Ra-what?
We were virtuously penniless at the time but made the 17 hour drive in 100 degree weather to the plains of Saskatchewan. All in all, it was a great time and as a gift, Parke gave me a baseball signed by every player and coach of the World Champion 1987 Minnesota Twins which I still cherish today.
So to Mr. Paulson, thanks for reaching out. You made my day! Now if we could just find Kosman, Marquardsen, Ellis and Schlagel, we'd be in business!
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Today, Eddy Arnold died. No, I am not a huge fan. Most people have heard "Cattle Call". Why do I post this useless information? Because my grandpa LOVED that song. Made me think of him today.
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Lastly, I promised some pics from The Boneyard...here are a few of my favorites.
The House of Lords Steakhouse was a Rat Pack hangout. If I could go back in time, seeing or better yet, hanging with the Rat Pack would be at the top of my list.
An old Lady Luck sign. Not just any sign though....this is the sign that Marisol Nichols (hottie) danced on in Vegas Vacation. The rails on the other side that you can see were added for her safety.
Lastly (for now) an old Golden Nugget sign. This is one of the originals and was the sign in most of the old "Fremont Street Pics". It had the big gold chunk on it with 1905 which was not the start of the Nugget but rather the year Vegas became a city. There were 3 or 4 Nugget signs from the years in The Boneyard. Very cool!
In response to my post on my tax woes for this year, a friend a.k.a. "The Rube" sent me a funny email. It has probably circulated for many to see but I found it entertaining and potentially a good solution to my problem. See below.....seeing that my deficit was only $1800, I have to buy even less!
Dear Internal Revenue Service: Enclosed you will find my 2008 tax return showing that I owe $3,407.00 in taxes. Please note the attached article from the USA Today newspaper; dated 12 November, wherein you will see the Pentagon (Department of Defense) is paying $171.50 per hammer and NASA has paid $600.00 per toilet seat. I am enclosing four (4) toilet seats (valued @ $2,400) and six (6) hammers valued @ $1,029), which I secured at Home Depot, bringing my total remittance to $3,429.00. Please apply the overpayment of $22.00 to the "Presidential Election Fund," as noted on my return. You can do this inexpensively by sending them one (1) 1.5" Phillips Head screw (see aforementioned article from USA Today newspaper detailing how H.U.D. pays $22.00 each for 1.5" Phillips Head Screws). One screw is enclosed for your convenience. It has been a pleasure to pay my tax bill this year, and I look forward to paying it again next year.
2008 is underway and not a minute too soon. So much to do and look forward to this year. Bush will finally finish his term although concerns are abound with the "crop" of Prezzie wannabees we have right now. There is still time to get your "End of an Error" merchandise.
First things first....starting with tomorrow....Ashlie turns 14. What a great kid (except for that cell phone bill). I cannot believe she is 14.
Then continuing into the spring - yes, even though it is only January, winter is on a downward spiral from here on out. Sure, it will still be cold. Yeah, we'll still get snow. But the days are getting longer (or is the Earth spinning slower?? Thanks, Jake). We are in the middle of the beloved January thaw which is great except for the countless mounds of dog crap that have been exposed (more proof of 'global warming'...always cracks me up). 14 years ago, we took Ashlie home from the hosptial in -25 temps! Yes, nothing to look forward to except the end of winter.
Vacation planning. The urge has kicked in. Traveling alone to Texas did not cure me of the urge to travel. I know what the other one will say, "We have to pay for a band trip!" I know, but if you consider tax time, potential bonuses and a general lack of desire to save money, we could take a trip! NWA sent some great deals for Mexico and Jamaica. Hmmmm. Better lose some weight.
That brings me to the next topic for 2008. Weight loss. My success in 2005 doing Body for Life was good. The problem was the intensity and knowing it was done in 12 weeks. Once I hit 12 weeks, I wanted to take a break.....that is going on 3 years. Bad plan. I have a new plan now. No end date. Wish me luck.
SPORTS What does 2008 hold for sports. Well, for starters, I'll say that the Vikings ended well. I still don't think Brad Childress is "The One" but they did finsh pretty good. The Timberwolves. Ouch. Can we fire McHale yet? Let's see....do we need Garnett? Season to date: The T-Wolves are 4-29 and The Celtics are 29-3. Naw....we don't need him. If I did not know any better, I'd think someone fired McHale and hired Jeff Diamond (architect of the infamous Herschel Walker trade for all of you except The Rube). The Twins are probably washed up too although they find a way to play and win under Gardenhire. I think their luck of playing a bunch of AAA players and getting into the playoffs (or even close) is about over.
On the bright side, our New Richmond Tiger Boys Basketball Team is ranked #5 in the state. Who needs the rotten t-wolves?
I leave you with the wishes for a great 2008. Don't take life to seriously. Have some fun. Spend some money. Take a trip. Be spontaneous. Bluff more than normal (for you Al).
To quote Billy Joel, "Don't take any shit from anyone!"
