Monday, February 26, 2007

Good weekend.

The week ended really badly for me, but I was over it by Saturday evening. Darrell was thrilled I didn't get the part, and had been secretly hoping I wouldn't the entire time I prepared for it.. something about it being too gay (whatever that means) or something equally stupid and insecure. I'll file it away for now and throw it in his face when we're arguing about something else in the future.

It was a pretty quiet and uneventful weekend full of home improvement and property flipping shows on TLC and HGTV. Darrell built a platform on the stairs so he could get up and have alook at the motor for our Heat Recovery Unit. When we bought the place we were told it was dying and would need to be replaced, but it looks more like the unit only needs a good cleaning, so that will be next weekends project. We also put down a tarp and repotted some plants (Anyone whose been over knows that isn't a small job).

I talked to Nan (that's what I call my grandmother) and she's doing really well. They removed her staples and she is walking a lot more now... still taking it easy though. Aparently half the family in Williams Lake is stapled up for one reason or another. My aunt had a hystorectomy and my cousin had to have some scar tissue or growths removed from a previous surgery. My cousin has a weird skin skin that makes her break out in a rash and infection if she wears metal other than gold so a few days after her operation she had to go back in and have the staples taken out and stiches put in because they started festering up and getting infected.

Sunday night we were one of the ten houses in North America that wasn't watching the Oscars, we could both care less about awards shows. You didn't have to watch to know that Jennifer Hudson won best supporting actress for her role in Dream Girls... not bad for an American Idol reject. Especially considering the best Kelly Clarkson can seem to do is a guest appearance on Reba. Whose out of their depth now Simon?

There was a new episode of Heroes on, which is odd since it's usually on on Mondays. I hope they aren't going to start changing the day like they have a tendency to do with new shows. That drives me right around the bend... you just get used to a viewing schedule and then for no apparent reason what so ever they take your favroite Monday night show and put on against your favourite Sunday night show. Thank god for satellite Tv and time shifting. Last night's episode was really good but dealt with only one storyline... I won't say more than that because I don't want to spoil it for Mare & Lisa.

For some reason my brain wouldn't quiet down and let me sleep last night so I ended up on the couch with a Stephen King novel until about 4am, I'm super tired today and bound to be bitchy as hell by the end of the day.

Friday, February 23, 2007

Anna Nicole

Am I the only person who thinks that no matter how tragic it may seem, the death of Anna Nicole Smith is not news? It may be celebrity gossip, but I swear seeing the crying judge on the news over and over is driving me insane. There are real stories out there that deserve the time this rediculous circus is getting. There are actual people doing important things that we aren't hearing about because this is getting the airtime.

I mean come on... she's a playboy model who married a guy 63 years older than her, took all his money when he died, screwed half the guys in hollywood, and died addicted to drugs in a pool of her own vomit.... she's one step up from a street walking whore! There's half a dozen guys claiming to be the father of her kid...if that doesn't scream whore to you what does??????? And for the love of god stop comparing her to Marilyn Monroe. Marilyn was a glamorous movie star with talent who earned her money on the screen not on her back. The only similarity is that drugs took their lives. By that standard to you could compare Marilyn to every gutter trash whore who OD'd on the street... so let's not go there!

Anna Nicole's only real ass-et was about an inch and a half in front of her ass-whole. So please get her off the fucking news and report on something worthy.

Friday February 23, 2007

Appetizer
Where on your body do you have a scar, and what caused it?

I have several. I have a scar under my left arm from where my gland was removed when I was six because it had a cancerous tumour on it. I received radiation on it and the entire should has never developed so I am lopsided and my left arm is about 2 inches shorter than my right. I have a scar behind my left ear, where another cancerous gland was removed whan I was 8 years old. I have two scars across my pubic area from an operation for undescended testicles caused by cancer treatment. I have a scar on my chest from the hickman cathetor that was inserted when I was 27 and about to have a bone marrow transplant to cure the leukemia I developed in adulthood (probably as a result of my cancer treatment as a child). I have a scar somewhere between my ass and balls for a reconstructive urinary track operation to correct a stricture that closed off the entire channel. And I have a scar or two on my soul from the general nastiness of the world today.

Soup
What is something that has happened to you that you would consider a miracle?

Read the appetizer again.... I'm alive today. Believe me it's against all odds.

Salad
Name a television personality who really gets on your nerves.

Donald Trump. With so many talented, artistic, and creative people in the world, why does this self absorbed, concieted, pompos, arrogant, jackass get to be on TV?

Addendum: Have to ad Martha Stewart and Debbie Travis... both arrogant, condescending Bitches!

oh yeah... and George W Bush! Everytime that idiot opens his mouth I can hear the entire collective IQ of North America Drop a little more.

Main Course
What was a funny word you said as a child (such as "pasketti" for "spaghetti")?

I don't think I said any funny words... when I was six I could say Malignant Histiocytosis... so there wasn't a lot of cutesy talk in my world.

Dessert
Fill in the blank: I have always thought ______ was ______.

I have always thought I was meant to do something important. (I just wish I knew what it was so I could start doing it.)

Thursday, February 22, 2007

Today Sucked!!

I spent most of the day reinstalling programs and program updates, which is a huge pain in the ass. Everytime you do something you have to restart the damn computer so it takes forever!

I've finally been able to get back to the gym this week after being sick for so long so it feels like starting over, but it was certainly the highlight of my day.

Then Stephen called about Cabaret and wrecked the rest of my week. Oh well, what can you do?

Would it be unmanly to curl up into a little ball and cry for an hour or two?

On the bright side, once I get over my disapointment about not getting the part I want I will be able to get excited about the part I got. I just really wanted this one and put a lot of work into preparing for it, only to have to go through the entire audition process with the flu... and I'm really fucking disapointed right now.


It won't last long, but I'm gonna wallow in it for a day or two.

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Wednesday

Not lot going on. We've been busy redoing our editing computers. Now we're at the point of reinstalling everything, it's a pain in the ass really, all the restarting after every install really slows things down.

Heroes was really good on Monday, of course just when it got really exciting it was over and we're in limbo for another week. There were storylines introduced last week that weren't touched this week, so we may not have resolutions to all the excitement next week. Way too many characters whose storylines haven't converged still. Stan Lee's cameo as the bus driver...tacky!

We were watching the Rick Mercer Report last night and once again they used my latest photochallenge entry. It was a really nice surprise... usually they send a release form so you know they're going to use it, but this time they didn't so I had no idea until I actually saw it on the screen.
Before:


Dion Turner Before


After


Dion Turner After - Turner Makes a Splash

I slapped that one together without much thought.

Monday, February 19, 2007

Snow Day

Another Snow day in New Brunswick. It figures that since we're nearing the end of February winter has decided to really get a foot hold. Of course unlike, the West Coast, Spring doesn't actually happen here until April anyway, so we might as well settle in and get used to the snow.

It was insane driving in this morning, it's like all the stupid people decide they abolutely have to drive when it's snowing... I swear we could clear up the national deficit with a stupid people tax. People crawling along the highway and starting and stopping and being overly cautious to the point of being a bigger road hazzard than the actual snow should get a ticket, because there's lots of em.

Anyway.... The weekend was really good. I finally hit the point of feeling like myself again and the cold is now an occasional little cough...yay.

Saturday's desert party was a small intimate affair, but very very fun. Scott and Alison brought some delicious melt in your mouth chocolate brownies, & Suzy and Chris brought a fabulous Tiramisu. I was a Tiramisu virgin up until Saturday so Suzy's creation will now be the bar by which I measure all other Tiramisu, and it's a pretty high bar! Knowing of Darrel's new love for the Stirling Cherry Pie, Brian and Helen brought not only the Cherry but the Apple as well... both very tasty. I made a Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake, some Chocolate Cip cookies, and I tried out my healthy alternative Banana Bread recipe (That I created myself...well I took an existing recipe and substituted all the ingredients to create a new recipe but that's kind of the same thing right?). The eight of us had a fantastic little sugar fest and some nice drinks, and it was a really good time. Darrell drank nearly two and half bottles of wine so he was pretty smashed by the end of the night, but I think he was the only casualty.

Sunday there was suprisingly little clean up to be done, since we used paper plates, so we had a fairly lazy day. I did some laundry, and we had some food that didn't contain huge amounts of sugar and fat, then we settled in for Brothers & Sisters, the series finally of Reba, The Amazing Race All Stars (They have Rob & Amber on it so we were not going to watch at all, but it was the only thing on in that time slot besides repeats of Raymond that we've seen a thousand times so we endured Rob & Amber... it is kind of nice to start off with a team you're hoping will lose), and of course Desperate Housewives (very exciting show last night).

Either a nasty bug has infiltrated our editing computers or windows has hit it's best buy date again and needs to be redone, either way we have to reformatt our editors. Darrell did his over the weekend and I am in the process of backing mine up now so it can be done today. It really sucks to have to wipe everything out and reinstall, but the system runs a lot better for about 4 months and then start to screw up again for the next 2 before it needs to be done again. I think that's as long as windows can go before it starts to completely degrade and fall apart. So today will be a very unproductive day as far as production in my room goes, but ultimately it will make everything run smotther and more reliably for the next several months.. so productivity is relative.

Tonight Heroes is on!!!!!!!! That show makes me so happy, it's like the highlight of my week (How sad is that?)

Friday, February 16, 2007

Sore Throat Medication

If you are singer or use your voice in any professional capacity and have a sore throat avoid sore throat meds and lozenges like the plague.

If your sore throat is caused by vocal strain, stop using your voice and rest... it's that simple. If it's caused by a cold or flu get plenty of rest and drink room temerature water. If resting your voice isn't an option and you absolutey have to perform, then perform with your sore throat within your limits. Do not ever by any means for any reason use things like Chloraseptic or Cepacal sprays or lozenges... you could do irrepairable damage to your vocal chords. These kinds of products should contain very large warning on them but they don't. They contain Anesthetics that make you feel better and give you a false sense that you can perform at 100%. You can't, and if you try you will create little tears in your vocal chords and they will bleed, leading to nodes that can only be removed surgically and your voice never fully recovers.(listen to old Elton John and New Elton John songs if you want to see a really good example of how node removal affects your voice)

I had many times singing with my band where I started to lose my voice over the course of a week long gig. The only option that works is to perform within the limitations of your sore throat. Don't go for the notes you can't hit, bring them down an octave, avoid the gaint songs and keep the audience dancing with easier songs to sing. Drink room temperature water and lots of it. Avoid alcohol, and during breaks don't visit with the bar guests... talking over the bar noise is the fastest way to wear out your voice. Water with honey, lemon, and cinnamon can sometimes help too.

Just remember to never ever under any circumstances use a product that masks the soreness in your throat. Your first and best choice is to rest your voice, but if you're in the middle of a run for a show or a gig then that soreness lets you know what your boudaries are... don't push past them. Anesthitizing your throat masks the pain and allows you to push way past where you should be and start damaging your voice permanantly... you only get one voice take care of it. Keep it well lubricated with lots of water, do a good vocal warm up, and get plenty of rest between shows.

Friday February 16, 2007

Appetizer
What sound, other than the normal ringing, would you like your telephone to make?
I'm fine with normal ringing. I can't stand all those cell phone ringtones. What's worse is when someone has a song as their ringtone and then won't answer the phone until the song is over...I hate that.

Soup
Describe your usual disposition in meteorological terms (partly cloudy, sunny, stormy, etc.).
Mostly sunny with occasional cloudy periods

Salad
What specific subject do you feel you know better than any other subjects?
Music & Art.

Main Course
Imagine you were given the ability to remember everything you read for one entire day. Which books/magazines/newspapers would you choose to read?
I'd start with some guitar lesson books, move on to some science journals, and finish up with some history texts.

Dessert
If a popular candy maker contacted you to create their next confection, what would it be like and what would you name it?
I don't know. I think I'd try to make something with no sugar or chemical sugar, sweetened naturally with honey or maple, and try to keep the rest of the ingredients as natural and healthy as possible... just cause it's an indulgence doesn't mean it has to be awful for you. I'd name it Mother Natures Kiss.
Tomorrow night is our second annual dessert party where people bring their favorite deserts. I'll be making a very fattening and indulgent chocolate cherry cheesecake, but I will also be trying a recipe I created for Banana bread that has whole wheat flower, olive oil, honey & Maple sweeteners, and no heavy cream, yet somehow still tastes like Banana bread without the gluton, sugar, or lactose.

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day all! Is it just a coincidence that the initials for this day are VD? So happy VD to all.

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Call Backs

I think all in all my call back went okay. Okay but not spectacular. I think I sang well even though my voice wasn't all there. I was physically off during the ballad, because I was consentrating too hard on my pitch and power to put much of my body into the mix. I did Two Ladies with Kizzy and Kristi and we had lots of fun being naughty. Bertis was a powerhouse vocally. I don't know what he did physically because everyone waited in the hallway while people did their auditions, but I know he's really good with the physicallity so I'm guessing he was on his game. All it really comes down to, I think is going to be the size of the of the other cast members. If Sally is and the girls are amazons then a pipsqueak like me isn't going to cut it, on the other hand if everyone is tiny then Bertis may be too much of a giant. Either way it really hasn't got much to do with either of us anymore, and the show is going to be good no matter who gets what part, because we all have so much fun together that it will come through on stage no matter whose standing where.

Tuesday

Throat still sore.... call back tonight at 7!!! Oh well whatever happens happens.

Watched Heroes last night and it left me longing for a little conflict resolution. There are so many characters and so many stories within the story that it is taking a long time to tell it all and starting to feel a little draggy. How I met Your Mother, the Class, and Two and Half Men were all very funny. The New Adventures of old Christine isn't back on until March and in it's place was a new sitcom called Rules of Engagment, with David Spade among others, and it was pretty good.

My speaking voice is still raspy and thin, but I don't think we're doing any scene work tonight, and I always lose my speaking voice long before my singing voice so hopefully I've got enough there to show Stpehen what he wants to see and get this part.

Monday, February 12, 2007

Cold is still hanging in there

I got lots of rest this weekend and still the cold is insisting on sticking around. It has become an occasional annoying cough and rhaspy throat. I lost my voice by the end of the day Friday and am still very scratchy today. I have my call back for the Emcee tomorrow night and Stephen wants to hear two songs... luckily even though my speaking voice is thin and rhaspy I still have about 70 percent power on my singing voice and should be able to sing well enough tomorrow. (Keeping fingers crossed) Gotta put in my best foot forward tomorrow because as far as I know Bertis is also being considered for the part so I gotta bring everything I got.

I didn't get a chance to call my grandmother on Friday because I couldn't talk to her even if I did, but I did manage to talk to her on Saturday. She's doing well and has almost no pain. She's having to keep off her feet and limit her movement for about six weeks until she's healed up. She had a total hip replacement so that's a pretty big deal, and she doesn't want to go putting it out or anything like that because that would be a disaster. It'll probably drive her a little nuts to not be able to get up and do the stuff she normally does for the next six weeks but it's a small price to pay, and eventually you get used to it.

Saturday evening we met up with Brian and Helen at the Dolan Rd Irving for a bite. Brian was headed off to play hockey so Helen came back to our place and hung out with us until he was done. We watched some Absolutely Fabulous from the specials DVD. We watched two episodes that none of us had ever seen before so that was cool.

Sunday I did laundry. I do laundry every Sunday. I did not watch the Grammys...never do, don't care for awards shows at all. We did watch the new episodes of Desperate Housewives and Brothers & Sisters... the Housewives are really heating up and someone if going to die very soon possibly even next week. I got to talk to my Dad for awhile on Sunday, he called to let me know my grandmother was home but I already knew, but we got to talk about other things too. He's working out of town right now so I don't get to hear from him often because he doesn't come home every weekend.

Darrell and I also started taking an Iodine suppliment this weekend, so we'll see what effect that has. I am now making plans for the upcoming desert party on Saturday... I'm thinking I'll do the chocolate cherry cheesecake this time, and I've been experimenting with some ideas for a sugar/white flour/ margarine/lactose free banana bread recipe... I think I'll give it a try. Save up your points and cheat days only five more sleeps!!!

How I met your Mother & Heroes is on Tonight....YAY!!!

Friday, February 09, 2007

End of a Very long week

This week has dragged on and on it seems. I am now headed home to curl up on the couch and pray to whatever powers that be for some relief from this awful cold. I want it gone, preferably at least two days before I have to go to the call back so I have some time to rest and build myself back up. At the moment my throat is all scratchy and I can barely talk, so I'm glad no one's expecting me to sing today.

On a happy note my grandmother returned home yesterday with her new hip. My aunt says everything is going well and she is doing fine. I will be calling her tonight to see how she's feeling.

Friday February 09, 2007

Appetizer
Have you been sick yet this winter? If so, what did you come down with?
I'm sick right now! I don't know if it's a flu or cold, but I had a week of fever, followed by hacking and coughing and losing my voice. Still coughing, Still losing my voice from time to time

Soup
What colors dominate your closet?
Red, Blue, Green

Salad
How would you describe your personal "comfort zone"?
I have a pretty big personal comfort zone. I'm fairly secure individual so I'm pretty comfy in most situations.

Main Course
On which reality show would you really like to be a contestant?
The only one worth watching... the Amazing Race! You get to fly all over the world and see and do things you wouldn't even if you were a tourist going to that destination

Dessert
Which holiday would you consider to be your favorite?
I really don't get all jazzed up about any holiday, most of them are so commercialized now that they all become more annoying than anything else.
My favorite "Holiday" is when we just take a couple unplanned days off work and go somewhere new without any plan or schedule... just explore and have fun with no preasure to buy stuff or any of that other bullshit.

I gotta Dance!

Last night's dance auditions went fairly well, I thought, in spite of breaking into a coughing and choking fit after each go around. I thought I was going to bring up a lung at times. It's not easy to get in touch with your inner whore when he's haking like he has TB. But all that aside I think I did alright, it wasn't a supereasy dance by any means but it also wasn't superhard. I had difficulty with the spins at the end because I'm congested making my equilibrium a little whonky, and when Jenn said to freestyle for ten beats at the end of the last go around I was like yeah...no.. I'm having a hard enough time remembering the steps and not falling down hacking to start improving tonight.

Brian and Helen gave me a lift home, and I read some more of my book to distract my mind before turning in so I didn't replay the choreography over and over in my head all night long. Today I'm still hacking but not as bad, and hopefully by the time call backs come around I'll be recovered.


PS. I did get a call back, the date just hasn't been set yet.

Thursday, February 08, 2007

Thursday

This has been the longest week ever, or at least it sure feels that way. MY flu or cold, whatever it is, has now moved into the hack up alung but nothing comes out phase which is ohh sooo pleasant! I got a chest cough & Cold syrup that basically hasn't done anything but taste bad, so I'm down to halls.

Dance auditions are going to be interesting because everytime I exert myself I launch into a fit of coughing. Here's hoping that phase of the virus is the last phase and that by the end of the day it will be mostly passed.

Wednesday, February 07, 2007

Auditions

I went to auditions for Cabaret last night and there was a pretty good turn out. I saw Kizzy, Kristi, Lisa (used to be Anthony), June Garnett, Harry Cross, Scott Green, Adam Masson, and whole bunch of others I haven't seen in a while and some new faces as well.

I walked over from the office in the extreme cold, so when I got there I had spent about ten minutes hacking up a lung before I felt better again. The singing portion of the evening went okay. I wasn't 100%, but I think I put out some power even though I felt scratchy. All in all I think it was alright... it is, after all just the first round of auditions, and Stephen has heard me sing a time or two before when I have been 100% so hopefully he will fill in the any blanks that may have been there thanks to the scratchy throat. I did my scene with Scott Green and it also went well, so all in all I'd have to say I feel pretty good about it... well as good as I ever feel about auditioning for things.

When I got home I couldn't sleep because I had the entire score from the show rattling around and around in my brain so I went out into the living room and started reading the Da Vince Code. I got the movie for Christmas and wasn't sure whether to read the book first or watch the movie first. I opted for the Movie first because generally if the book is really great you are always disapointed with the movie because they can't cover everything a book can. After a few chapters I found myself wanting to drift off so I closed the cover and went to bed. I wasn't drifting because I wasn't interested in the book, on the contrary it is really good from the get go so far, I was just really tired and once I finally switched my brain out of excited Cabaret mode my eyes wanted to close.

That's always the risk I take when I opt to calm my mind with a book, because if it's really good I can actually start forcing myself awake to read just one more chapter... well one more chapter.. and then before you know it it's four in the morning and your halfway through a novel you just cracked the spine on earlier.

Tuesday, February 06, 2007

Right Plan

Going home last night instead of to the auditions was definitly the right plan. I feel quite a bit better today... not 100%, but a much higher one. It sucks I have this flu right now and as a result I am guaranteed to not be able to turn out a 100% performance quality audition, but I'm going to pull out all the stops and hope for the best. I just hope I don't start hacking and coughing through the songs.

I went to the gym yesterday and managed a pretty brisk 20 minutes on the treadmill, even ran a couple laps... much more would have been completely counterproductive. I then spent a few minutes in the suana stretching. The heat felt really good, but I can't take it for long.

If you're auditioning tonight I'll see you there; if you auditioned yesterday I hope things went well for you; if you're doing it tomorrow break a leg; and I'm sure I'll see everyone on Thursday for the dance auditions.

Monday, February 05, 2007

Fever Finally Broke

We went home after work friday and I immediately hit the couch. Brian and Helen came over and hung out for awhile. We talked about upcoming auditions and watched a bit of the movie so Helen could hear the Cabaret song. I made her a copy of the Original cast cd since that is by far the best version of that song going. The Revival CD has lots of great songs on it and some of them are done really well, but Natasha Richardson is no Jill Haworth, in fact she even gets some of the words to Cabaret wrong which completely blows the meaning and emotion of an entire phrase. I had actually put all things Cabaret away in September so everything could just sit up in my little brain and ferment there. I don't want to go into the auditions and do an Alan Cummings or Joel Grey impersonation... I want to pull the things that stand out most about the two and see what sticks to the wall. It's never a good idea to watch a movie or listen to a soung track so close to an audition or performance because it taints your ideas about what the character should be. That's why I got the movie and every version of the cast recordings I could find last spring and listened to them to death over the summer, then put them away. So all the big stuff that stuck out would pop out at me and I could work on filling in the blanks with my own stuff.

Brian and Helen left around ten, Darrell and I watched Men in Trees then Godivas and went to bed. I still had the fever Friday.

Woke up Saturday and still had the fever. It even grew a little over the course of the day. I spent the entire day on the couch with home improvement, design, and decorating shows. Darrell went out and got me some tylenol rapid relief and some expectorant cough syrup which helped a bit. My Dad called to let me know my Grandmother had her hip replacement surgery finally and that everything went really well. They still have her pretty much imobilized but so far so good. Maybe she'll finally be able to get around without all the pain. Honestly when I think of how long she waited just to see the specialist and how uncomfortable she was for that entire time it makes me want to go on a rampage in some Legaslative and Parliament buildings. *begin rant*
It's about time we stopped allowing politicians private or special access to health care and make them use the system the rest of us do... then we'd see some action. I remember one night up at the emergency at the regional, I had a stricture in my urinary tract and it closed completely.... I was in extreme pain... in fact it required surgery to open... yet I still had to wait over a half and hour in the waiting room just to see the nurse. During that time a call came in that one of the MPs or MLAs or something was on the way in and everyone scurried about to get ready. We pee ons of the public never even saw them arrive, they were shown in through private ways and didn't have to wait. So what was the big emergency that took precedence over my immensely painful condition... the MP or MLA's (Can't remember which)kid had an ear ache. Let's start sticking these assholes in the waiting room with everyone else and see how much action we get on health care reform then.
*end rant*
My Dad said my Grandmother is doing well, and my stepmother is staying down there with her to help look after her, so I'm very happy that everything is going to be better for her from here on in, because she's had it pretty shitty health wise the past couple years.
We turned in fairly early Saturday night and overnight I woke up with my pillow completely soaked with sweat and the fever gone.

I had a completely feveless day on Sunday, but didn't want to take any chances so I still spent the majority of it on the couch.

I am playing it by ear today as to whether or not to go to the gym, and what to do if I do go. It certainly won't be a full workout or a run because I haven't been in well over a week, the majority of which I had a recurring fever. I do feel like I might benefit from a long walk on the treadmill and a stretch in the dry heat sauna though. I'll probably give my throat a little longer to recover and go to auditions tomorrow night instead of tonight.

Friday, February 02, 2007

Friday Feb. 02, 2007

Appetizer
What was one of the fashion fads when you were a teenager?
I was a teenager in the 80's so we had big hair, blazers with shoulder pads, skinny leather ties, rugby pants, colourful bill cosby sweaters, if it was fugly we were probably wearing it in the 80's.

Soup
Name one thing you think people assume about you when they first meet you.
I think they probably assume I'm older than I am for many reasons I won't bother getting into

Salad
On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being highest, how hard do you work?
How can rate that? There are times when you don't feel good or you just need a coast day so you slack off to a 5, and then there are times when you're firing on all cylinders and you're up at 11... I think generally I work very hard so I'll give myself an 8

Main Course
If you were given a free 30-second commercial during the Super Bowl to sell anything you currently own, what would you advertise?
I have lots of projects I'd sell... Baby Annoucement paintings, Grandma's Brag book DVDs (you can actually check out the one I did for my Mom on my Animation Samples page), A novel I wrote that I haven't tried to get published yet... the list is long.

Dessert
Fill in the blank: I love to ________ when it is _________.
I love to walk outside when it is warm and raining.

Thursday, February 01, 2007

ARGH!

I ended up taking Tuesday and Wednesday off. This flu has been very nasty so far, the fever associated with it keeps recurring. I'll feeel great for most of the day then end up with the chills later on.

I haven't been to the gym since last Friday as a result, and have opted to take a pass today as well, since I'm not 100% or even 80 for that matter.

The two days I took off I followed the diet plan laid out in the Burn Fat Feed muscle book and holy crap I've never eaten that much food in a day in my entire life. I could only manage to do five meals each day because there aren't really enough hours in my day to fit in the sixth unless I start getting up super super early ... and that ain't happening. I figured out my maintenance calorie level to be 2466 per day and my fat burn level to be 1900. So I will need to do three days of 1900 and one at 2466, then continue cycling them. Then I had to divide all that by the number of meals per day to get portion size, and then I had to factor in the macronutrient ratios ie: 50% Complex Carbs (Starchy carbs like rice or Potatoes combined with fibrous carbs... vegetables), 30% lean protien (chicken, trimmed pork, fish (not an option since Darrell's alergic)), 20% Fat (Ideally essential fats containing omega 3 and six like Olive Oil, Hemp Oil, Flax oil, nuts, or oily fish (Again not an option)).

Once you figure all that out and come up with four meals at 400 calories and one at 300 you are talking about a lot of food. It's actaully amazing how much you have to eat when you're eating the proper things, but you don't end up feeling bloated, you have awsome energy all day long, and you don't get cravings at night in front of the TV because you're bored.

I'm not quite ready to throw myself completely onto this plan yet, because it is going to take some serious planning and frequent trips to the grocery store to pull it off, so I have to sit down and make a menu, buy some essentials, and really figure out exactly how to aproach it the most effeicient way possible... because you can't just wing it... that would be impossible.