Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Scuppernong
The scuppernong variety is on the left -
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Locker room conversation
Two older Jewish gentlemen.
Man1: "I don't know how much longer we can take this as a nation."
Man2: "Mmmmm"
Man1: "If we don't make more changes soon then there won't be anything left for our kids and their kids"
Man2: "MmmHmmm"
Man1: "Well at least my parents are still voting and their vote counts up north"
Man2: "Your parents are still alive?"
Man1: "Well they are still voting. They didn't change their registration when the moved down here"
Man2: "How old are they? That's amazing they are still around"
Man1: "Well I didn't say they were still around, I just said they were still voting.....you know what I mean"
Man2: "Ohhhh I hear ya. I get it"
Man1: "I mean, might as well right? They worked their whole life, their voice deserves to still be heard"
Man2: "I hear ya. You know what, I see nothing wrong with that. Nothing at all"
Man1: "Yea, well we have to do something. I feel good knowing their voice can still be heard. You know they deserve it".
Friday, July 31, 2009
My food train
Thanks to the San Marco Theater , Erin and I were able to enjoy some nachos and a pale ale, while watching. The movie was really well done. Really well produced. Really well executed. It did a good job of putting this entire food crisis that our nation is in, into a obtainable package, without the Michael Moore scare tactics.
The film nicely highlighted the importance of eating organic, supporting local agriculture, being your own advocate, etc etc. It was ushered by the eloquent Michael Pollan (read all his books),
and included interviews by Americas farmers, corn councils, and even the Kevin's Law mom. The one thing that I don't feel like it illustrated was just how difficult it is to live this lifestyle. It hinted at this when during one scene a gentleman commented that he drove 300 miles to get to a farm to purchase chickens that were raised in a truly all natural environment.
The fact is that, it's HARD. Especially in the smaller cities of our nation. It's usually out the way to access these healthy choices. It's expensive, and overwhelming. But it's important, even one step at a time. Here are some resources to help you out. I'm no expert on this, but I love talking about it. If you have questions or even want to argue, please write me. I'd love to chat.
10 Steps you can do now
Localharvest.org - great resource for finding local CSA's, Farmers Markets, and Co-ops
Slow food - Promotes local food choices and eating in local tradition
Your dollars are what can make a difference. If we demand change every day, with our dollars, with what we put in our stomachs, we can make a difference.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Don't spoil dinner!!
Until this last Wednesday. I'm not going to label it food poisoning, because the food at Gumbo Ya Ya's was really good. No one else got sick, and some people even had what I ordered. I can say though, without doubt, that my body rejected the seafood gumbo. By midnight, I was orally removing it all. Not pleasant.
This took me out of schedule for about a good 48 hours. No exercise, no calorie counting. Lot's of couch laying. As of yesterday I'm feeling much better. I went to the gym and did a swim workout, which was my first in about 10 months. It was really nice - so much so I'll be incorporating that into my cross training at least once a week for now.
The point of this blog though is that since the sickness I've noticed my inability to consume my normal caloric intake. Erin reminded me that my stomach probably shrunk from the heaving, which I never put together. This new restricted intake has been interesting; I feel full very quickly and am content. It was troubling the first few meals, as I tried to get it all in, but once I realized why, it became a pleasant surprise. Sooo, all this had me thinking of what I'm sure most of us heard growing up. "Don't spoil your dinner". This was often said in the late afternoon while dinner was just starting to be prepared. It's hardwired into me now to not eat within 4 hours of dinner, at least, and then have a BIG meal. This new stomach restriction has made me realize how detrimental this harwired code has been for me and possibly the nation at large!!!
It's ok to eat every few hours. In fact it's good for you, as long as you can contain yourself with regard to portion control. So, I will spend this next week re-wiring myself to try and go with this new intake limitation. Let's see if it sticks or if I slowly ramp back up my calories. It will be hard to get my caloric needs, but I'm up for the challenge.
It's definitely worth pondering though. We will have kids soon, and when we do so, we will be responsible for setting the patterns in their life. That's a big deal. Let's hope all this new found awareness will help our next generation avoid the diet related diseases (obesity, diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, etc.).
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Oaty licious pancakes
If I workout that day, then I add however many calories that workout burned. That would be to stay at my current weight. To lose weight, I eat a little lest, and to gain wait....well you get the picture.
I'm using myfitnesspal.com to do all these calculations. It's pretty interesting to start learning what nutritional and caloric value is in my daily food. I have found myself drastically altering what I am normally eating in order to get in my goals. Which are the following:
Calories: 2400
Carbs: 300
Fat: 53
Protein: 180
Sugar: 53
Fiber: 40
As you can imagine, the fat and sugar are easy to get. The calories and protein however aren't.
I found a recipe this morning for oaty pancakes and here's the recipe. For a healthy pancake alternative, they were pretty darn good.
Dry Ingrdients:
2/3 Cup Old fashioned Oatmeal (not instant)
1/3 Bobs five grain rolled hot cereal
many sprinkles of cinnamon
1 tbsp Baking soda
dash of salt
Wet:
2 whole eggs
1/2 cup soy milk
Nutritional Content:
Calories: 535
Cabrs: 30
Fat: 18
Protein: 29
Sugar: 5
Fiber: 12
Makes 7 pancakes (1/4 in size each)
Yum
Friday, June 12, 2009
Honolulu Marathon 05
This is an oldie but a goodie. I found this on an old site of mine and thought I'd repost it here.
At 2:15 AM my alarm went off on December 11, 2005.
It was still dark.
Then I met this other guy from AIDS Marathon who trained in LA on Saturday mornings in
Here comes Diamondhead. What we trained every Saturday for. We had to run up this hill or a hill which we were told was similar to this one. Luckily the day before I had beaten the hill with a training run which quickly de-mystified any eerie thoughts we had. I was prepared and I charged it. I dominated it. I was passing people. Things were good.
I got to the top and began my decent…this was only the beginning. The sun was just coming up. This was still the early part. My next stage I was looking forward too was my second large cheering section. It happens at mile 11. I hear it coming. 100 AIDS marathon “cheerleaders” were under an expressway and their chants and shouts seemed to reverberate through my body. It made me stronger and I was 11 miles into the race. This was great. I saw mom and dad…I saw my coach and my friends. Nice.
What I didn’t prepare for was to come. I began the trek through Aina Haina. It could be compared to
At this point I was running right next to the lane which I would soon be coming back towards the finish line on. And I began to see the Keyans and the Russians. The abnormally skinny people that run at an average of 13 mph for the ENTIRE race. They finish about the time I am getting to my half marathon….no…actually before that. 2:10. Then they are done. But whatever…they were trained for it. They live for it…it’s their job. I have a job and it’s not to run. So I cheer and I mean it. I clap and I care.
This road is till going. Victory Blvd. you’ve met your match. Ohh…they have sponges that are soaked in ice water. Maybe just a little on my head. Yes! That feels nice. Excellent. I’m back. Sweet….this is good. I’m fine. I’m still by myself. I see other AIDS Marathoners…and I clap for them. I yell their name (we all wrote them on our jersey’s).
I think I see the turnaround. It’s SOOO close. HEHEHE. Then I can go back…and I’ll see my cheering section (they’ll just cross the street from mile eleven and be at mile 22 when I come back by there). Oh….but there’s Hawaii Kai. Wait. Why are we turning left? Damn it’s hot. Crap…maybe another sponge. Yeah…and I’ll stretch a little on my next walk break. That’ll do.
Still by myself. So…we are running around a lake…and it’s HOT. Now it’s just hot. No cloud cover…I’ve sweated out a lot. I’ve drank a lot of fluids…and I’ve eaten GU (a viscous substance containing 100 calories, some sodium, some electrolytes, and masked with vanilla flavoring. I pretend it’s good.) Hey there’s a lady running with her dog. I like dogs. Now I am hot and I wish there were some more people I knew. Ok…I have circled this lake, now when am I going to wrap back around. I should be getting back to the “urban landscape” where I can suffer some more…because mile 22 is somewhere. Why am I not seeing this!! Hey there’s Adam. Adam? Adam??>!!?!? Adam left like 20 min behind me. How is he ahead of me? What? Oh my. No…I’m happy for him. Yeah. I’m happy. But why am I behind. Despair begins to set in.
But there’s no day like today right? Believe. I’m the only one here. I just have to believe…be strong. Keep pushing. More sponges. Sponges and ice water. All over. Now I don’t care. I’m really soaked. Even though the water stops come every 2 miles I seem to dry up and create this salt like compound on my arms that could easily be used for exfoliant. Hey, I could bottle this. Maybe I need salt. You know if you drink too much water you can over-hydrate (hyponatremia). That’s the runners fear. That’s our big danger. Am I drinking to much water? Shit. Hey…I can lick my arm. Mmm…salty. Does that work? Can I recycle my own sodium. That would be efficient.
Hey!!! There’s mile 18. Wait a min. I am already headed back. I’ve left Hawaii Kai. I am on my way back through the urban jungle. HAHA. MORE ENERGY> I am on my way back. Those people weren’t ahead of me. YIPPEE.
I am still by myself. Hey there’s Robert. He’s 65 and I just caught up to him. He’s slowed down. Ok…I can still make it in like 4:40 min….i just gotta keep pushing it. Why are my hamstrings so tight…weird. Tighter than they’ve ever beeen. Eww. My heel hurts too….my friend got a hairline fracture in his heel….I hope I don’t have it. Robert just stopped to pee. Ok. I can’t keep this pace. I’ll slow down a little. Maybe run for 5 min and walk for 2 instead of 6/1. Ohh I don’t know. Everything hurts. OK. I’m still running. Hey….is that Kevin? How did I catch up to him?
“KEVIN!!! How u doing”. “Not good man…” “Sorry to hear that….this weather’s rough….keep it up.” “Hey Dave, wanna take a walk break with me for a min.?” Kevin needs help. “Yeah man…I’ll walk. I could use it.” (Which I could)
“What’s going on” I said. “I don’t know….I am seeing spots, it’s weird. I feel a little dizzy.” “Kev, you need salt man.” “I know…I keep licking my arm but I don’t think its helping” he said. “Hey…I tried that. OK, let’s get you some salt. My parents are at 22 and they have some Pineapple”. “You keep going Dave, seriously keep going. Don’t wait”. Crap…now I don’t feel good. Is it sympathy? I think I have to crap. Oh boy…I just threw out the TP I had when I was looking for salt. Hmm…I might just have to go on the side of the road. “I’ll cover you if you need to go dave”. “Oh…thanks…I’ll let you know”. Hm..I didn’t mean to say that out loud. I mean there weren’t quotation marks right? How did he hear me? Maybe I need salt.
Suddenly an AIDS Marathon Staff member joins us and sees the distress. She is nice enough to run ahead and fetch some salt for Kevin. He tells me to go on. Yeah…I need to keep pushing. So I do. Besides I have to look good in front of the ‘rents. So 22 gets closer and there’s the cheering section. It feels good but not as good as 11. I think my adrenaline reserve is running out. Hey there are my parents. My dad is videoing and my mom offers me pineapple. I grab a piece. It tastes like crap. No, I don’t want another piece. I gotta keep going. Can’t walk for too long. “Thanks!!”
Now I’m past Kahala and on my way back to
Out of nowhere Kevin come up with this black guy named
Ok….lets just keep it nice and slow boys. We run. We run and run. There are people in there front yards with hoses. Spraying us down. Ahhhhhhh.
“Kevin we have to get in under 5 hours. We have to.” Ok we have 15 min to run a little over 1.4 miles. We have to run. Let’s step it up. “You guys go, I won’t be able to, I’m fine with coming in a little over 5 hours” says
We take off. We have come down diamond head. We are waiting to see the chute. The 1 kilometer that is the final stretch. Kevin when we see the finish line we are sprinting. It’s 4:54….where is the finish line. Argh…..
We aren’t even speaking. How are my legs doing this? THERE IT IS. “I think I see it Kevin…let’s kick it up”. We sprint. I have never dug so deep. This was everything I had. I laid it out. Each stride I was leaving a little of myself on the pavement. Push this. Push yourself! Why??? Because….because…..prove it to yourself. Push it. Do it for you Cohen. It’s for you. 6 Months of training. “6 months of training”…I muttered to Kevin. We are passing people. Breath control is on max. In and out. Spittle flying everywhere. Don’t even care. 4:56………run.
Here it is….the finish line….all these people. We’re flying. “Thank you for running” “Thanks for your efforts” “Thanks for your money”….what’s that mean…..oh my god….did that guy have aids….did he just thank me. Here it us. Don’t look at your watch….take your hat and glasses off david. Remember look up for your finishing photo….don’t worry about your time. Forget about your watch. “Kevin put your arms up!!!” Smile….you just did it. You just crossed. “Kevin….we did it”.
We stagger into these enormous showers……anything….must cool down. Where do we go? There are so many people here. Hey, there’s john. “Kevin there’s John”. He’s talking and I hear some of it. I said to Kevin “Hey Kev…am I pale?” “Uh yeah…let’s get you to the tent”. At this point John (Kevin’s partner) is holding me up…trying to get to the AIDS marathon hospitality tent. There’s my mom. She sees it….but I’m safe. There is a triage unit…I’ll get fixed.
About 45 min. 3 or 4 ice packs and 2 good purgings later I keep down a bag of pretzels….now I’m hungry. And it’s all settling in. Hehe. Wow. That was a new extreme. I broke my own rules and set new physical boundaries.
Uh oh….I asked my mom to call
So thanks to all of you that started on this journey with me. Thanks to all of you who supported me financially and emotionally. You were all part of this journey and you were with me on Sunday. Thank to everyone who tracked me….every time I crossed a time strip I thought of all of you and thanked you. Mostly…thanks to my family….and my friends….and my girlfriend. Who every Saturday peeked her head up to make sure I made it out the door by 6:15 for training. Now I get my Saturday’s back!!! What will I do with those. Maybe I’ll start biking. Kidding
of
TNT ORSBCC
10K: 01:05:48
Half
30K: 03:21:20
Gun Time: 05:05:28
Finish Time: 04:57:48
Place Overall: 7691
Place Men: 5242
Place Men 25-29: 594
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Ipod on shuffle
This afternoon, after a day by the pool, I decided to wash our cars. I was in the driveway with my Ipod playing through my car. It was set on shuffle and it was just perfect. It somehow knew what I needed....
Ben Harper
Relentless 7
Stevie Ray Vaughn
and Radiohead.
Perfect mix.