The Dukan Diet Works

Today marks 6 months on the Dukan Diet. Yes, I refer to it as the Count Dooku Diet (© Big Swa) but the reality is I followed a real published diet but I added a few of my own little changes to it. So I call it the Count Dooku Diet.

On May 30^th I weighed 237.7 lbs. I didn’t think of myself as that overweight. I knew I could lose a few pounds but I didn’t think I was fat. When I researched my ideal weight online, it turned out that I was indeed classified as “obese”. That made me think a bit. I also started to think about the future and how there are not many fat old men. I knew it was time to make a change but I didn’t know how to do it.

Then my wife and her friend decided to try this diet out. Since my wife was going to start it and it would require severe changes in meal plans, I thought I may as well give it a shot. What’s the harm in trying? Besides the disastrous 3 Day Fruit Cleanse, I hadn’t really tried a real diet plan. So on May 29^th, we ate some sorta bad food (Swiss Chalet if I remember correctly…plus pie) and started what would become a life changing moment.

I have pretty clearly documented my success on the diet, so there are no surprises here. I stayed 100% committed to the diet and I did not deviate. I added my own restriction of no oils at all (even low fat ones) and eventually I added more exercise than was recommended by the book. I did this because as I lost weight and gained more energy, I wanted to do more. I felt the urge to run instead of walk for a half hour. I wanted to start to lose weight and gain a little muscle. I wanted to be that guy that looks good and can use his body properly.

So I joined a gym and started several classes (Spinning, BodyPump) and started running further and doing weights on my own. I saw more changes in my body as the fat started to drift away and I saw those marks of definition in my stomach. As my body became to look better, my health began to feel better. I hadn’t experienced a feeling of deep depression in months, I wasn’t looking to go to bed at 8:30, I was focused for my whole day at work and I didn’t come home and sit on the couch. I was ready to do things.

Back in September, I reached my semi goal weight of 185lbs. I went on to the third phase of this diet and my menu started to expand. At first my weight fluctuated as my body got used to the new food. I was also able to have a “celebration” meal once a week. These celebration meals started out very bad. I would indulge and would feel the repercussions afterwards. After a few weeks, I began to look at these meals differently. I wouldn’t indulge; I would just enjoy the foods. At the same time I would start to try things I refused to try in the past. This has opened a whole new world of foods to me and I am thankful for it.

Here I am six months later. I am still following the diet as close as I can. I spent a few days away this week and I have been sick. My exercise regime has fallen off but I plan to pick it back up again, just as soon as I can breathe. I worked extra hard on eating right while away. I walked 2 miles to a grocery store to buy healthy food for breakfast. I was able to eat with the diet (although I had to add an extra fruit for the day) and I felt good that I didn’t cave to finding the easy way to eat. I had to work harder to find the right foods but it was worth it.

Today I weighed 177.8 lbs. That is 59.9 lbs lost. I have no idea how much fat has been lost vs how much muscle has been gained but it doesn’t matter. The Dukan Diet works for me. It is working for my wife. It even worked for my mother. It isn’t easy to follow and a lot of people think of it as a fad or boring. Maybe that’s true but it worked for me. I have no plans of gaining the weight back. I have started a new lifestyle. I am trying new things. I am being truer to myself and I am happier for it.

A few weeks ago when I was picking my son up from his volleyball game, I was walking through the halls with him. I didn’t have a jacket on and we walked by one of his friends. I saw the kid do a double take of me and I immediately thought I must have looked stupid or something. I wondered why he stared at me.

A little while later my son started laughing after getting a text. He said, “You know <enter kid’s name>?”

“No,” I said. “Who is that?”
“We saw him in the hall at school.” He was referring to the kid who stared at me.

“Okay?”

“He just sent me a text. He said, ‘Whoa, man. Your Dad’s buff!”

The kid may be wrong, I am not buff but it sure felt good to hear. Not only did it sound good but I could also be someone my son could look at and be proud of. He knows the work I did and it must have made him feel good too.

 

Spreading Christmas Cheer – and Eavesdropping

I woke up this morning with and felt worse than I have all week. My cold/flu is starting to peak at the wrong time. Is there a right time?

This will make it hard to present to people all day with a cough, sneeze and bad headache. I can’t even take a Tylenol Cold pill since my Thyroid pills don’t react well with that kind of medication. Balls! At least I fly home today.

Right now I am sitting on listening to the conversation of the two people in the next room. I think they are arguing. How do I know this? First, the yelling; that’s a great clue. Second, the line, “No, I did not fuck her” was my second clue. They also seem to be upset about someone getting a job and moving out. How can they be upset about that? Isn’t that what most people want? Unless this is a teenager but then I don’t know where the “I did not fuck her” comes from. If it is about the same teenager then this argument takes on all new meaning.

In other news….

Before my presentation yesterday, the group were talking about Christmas lights and decorating their houses. They all seemed a little blasé about it. It was brought to their attention that I go a little overboard and I had to explain what I had done. I enjoyed that. I like that I can show a little Christmas spirit just by telling people about my love for the season. Sure, they may think I am nuts but no one looked upset that I had done this. They all kind of smiled and laughed. That can’t be a bad thing.

 

Love and Christmas

Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world,I think about the arrivals gate at Heathrow airport.General opinion makes out that we live in a world of hatred and greed. I don’t see that.Seems to me that love is everywhere.Often it’s not particularly dignified or newsworthy but it’s always there.Fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, husbands and wives,boyfriends, girlfriends, old friends.When the planes hit the Twin Towers,none of the phone calls from people on board were messages of hate or revenge,they were all messages of love.If you look for it, I’ve got a sneaky feeling you’ll find that love actually is all around.

That is the opening monologue of Love Actually. It may sound corny and stupid but it always moves me. It makes me think and it makes me appreciate that love is something we should celebrate more often.

The line about the twin towers is especially moving. If you think about the phones calls and the messages left from those flights and United 93, they weren’t about hate or fear, they were final messages and they were all messages of love. If the human condition is really about greed, anger and hate, then why are all of our last messages ones of love? The last words people want to say are “I love you”. This is something to really think about when you fear for our society and think we are worthless. Perhaps now we are filled with greed and hate but the final emotion, the emotion the truly rules us in the end is love. That’s a hopeful thought.

So with Christmas coming close and the feelings of love and friendship and even goodwill towards men are beginning to fill each night, take the time to feel that emotion and live in it. Let the feeling encompass you and fill you with that feeling that cannot be described with words and pictures, but with a smile, a touch and a look. Take the time and love this Christmas. It’s not a gift that can be bought but it’s a gift that can be enjoyed for an eternity. Love is to be shared. Love is to be given. Don’t worry about making your final message be of love. Make it your message everyday.

 

Dell Griffith Wouldn’t Stay Here

I am in Ottawa.

I could describe the insanity that I experienced on my way to the airport. I can’t just get on a plane without any difficulty. That isn’t the way life works for me.

What issues did I have?

• I was dead stopped on the 401. There was an accident and it took time to clear it. This put me about an hour late.
• I was smart and pre-registered my ticket and had the boarding pass sent to my iPhone.  I showed it to everyone I was supposed to and the lady scanned it (but didn’t do this for the two people in front of me) at security and then I put my phone in the bin and walked through the metal detector. The security lady then tells them to recheck my pass. They ask for it. I don’t have it now. It is on my phone. My phone is being scanned. They don’t seem to care. I really thought I was on TV. Eventually they got my phone and she looked at and let me through.
• The cab to my hotel was an experience. The cabbie was upset with me that I wasn’t going far enough. I guess he wanted a larger fare. How is it my fault that I don’t need to go far?
• The hotel is a mess.  Look at the sign. Look at it. I feel like I am at the hotel that Del Griffith sold shower curtain rings at.
• And this is their workout room.
• At least I brought my own food.

But to make me a little happier I was greeted in the Ottawa Airport by this lovely large Christmas tree. It reminds me that Christmas is here! Yay Christmas!

Dooku –

This has not been a great week for the Dooku Diet. I have been pretty sick and I worked out only on Monday, Friday and Sunday.  I feel bad about not doing it but my energy level has been very low and my ability to breath has been worse. Working out was not a good idea and I know it. However, I still feel guilty for not doing it.

Eating wise I was able to stick to the diet. I brought my own food to my presentations and I didn’t cheat. I had one meal of Little Caesar’s but that was allowed according to Dooku. It was my one meal of the week. I ate all 8 slices, almost an entire loaf of crazy bread and 2 chocolate chip cookies. Yeah, I went for it. It was pretty damn good too.

So with good eating habits and a lack of exercise, where did I end up weight wise? My weight this morning was 179lbs. I am pretty happy with that, although I feel I have either gained weight or lost muscle. My only feeling of accomplishment was my Spin class. It was tough and I didn’t give up and feel great afterwards.

And in Christmas news….

I watched Love Actually on Saturday night. I bought the Blu-Ray and I was excited all weekend to watch it, and it was worth the wait. I really love that damn movie. I am going to write a post about it this week. So be ready…..and I know it makes me just a little more gay.

 

CHYM-FM Brings the Christmas Cheer!

Black Friday.

I have already heard reports of a woman using pepper spray (with two kids) on people so she can get the better deals. There was another interview with a woman who apparently waited for 5 days in line to get a 42 inch TV for $200. What is wrong with people? I understand that it is a good deal but it is really worth 5 days of your life? How much could she have made working for those 5 days? It is worth a deal on a TV?

I don’t think there is a single deal that I would wait 5 days in line for. Even if I was offered a car for $500 it would be tough to wait those 5 days in line. I just don’t get it.

In happier Christmas news, there are now 2 radio stations that have gone all Christmas music all the time. CHYMFM in Kitchener and CHFI in Toronto are playing just Christmas music for the next month. I listened in on my way to work and quickly realised how bad Mike and Erin are on the radio. Listening to them talk was pretty excruciating. The dude did a Jerry Lewis impersonation and they both erupted in laughter. Really? Jerry Lewis? That’s almost as bad as someone still doing Jim Carrey impersonations from the Mask or Ace Ventura. It is just really bad comedy. However, I just wanted to listen to the music and I heard a few good songs. I quickly turned the station when Santa Baby came on.

Back in Kitchener, George and Tara are a little better on the air. I think George has been on the air since radio first came to Kitchener and he isn’t going anywhere. I don’t think he ages either. Anyway, they played the same style of music and I didn’t have to hear any really bad songs. The “Coming Home for Christmas” song is a little annoying but it doesn’t beat the Christmas Shoes song. Nothing is as bad as the Christmas Shoes song. I may reprint my post from last year about my disdain for that alleged “song”. If there is anything that makes me angry at Christmas it is that song. That song and people scolding me for saying Happy Christmas to someone are the only things that can get me mad this time of year.

The radio (it still has relevance) told me that today marks the beginning of the Festive RIDE Program. George and Tara were sure to remind everyone that they should not drink and drive this holiday season. It sounds kind of funny. It makes it sound like it is okay to drink and drive during the rest of the year. I know that wasn’t their intent but that’s how it comes across.  I guess that’s another thing that can piss me off at Christmas. Assholes who drink and then drive…they’re the ones that should have the stake of holly through their hearts. Happy Christmas!

Back to happier things….

While I was away for the last three days someone left a few Christmas trees around my desk. I was quite excited to see my desk even more festive than when I left. The true spirit of Christmas is spreading! I can feel it!

My next post will come from Ottawa since I will be there for a few days. I am not too excited. It is just Ottawa. It isn’t like they have any fun places to go or interesting places to eat. It’s Ottawa. Yay.

 

Don’t Occupy My Christmas

I am certainly becoming good at posting regularly, even when my schedule is all messed up. 

Today is my last day of presentations (here anyway, I have another tomorrow morning but that one is at my place of work) and I am already feeling tired. It doesn’t help that I am sick with something. I am not sure what it is but I have been assured from Internet doctors that I do not have Lupus, elephantiasis or dystonia. I think it could be this really strange disease called, “akold” as someone put it. But that just sounds made up? What that heck is “akold”? Like that is true.

Today is the American thanksgiving that celebrates the day before the American Christmas season and also mentions the time when you could fool people by lulling them with food and then killing them for their land afterwards. I think that’s why I’d never trust anyone in a pilgrim costume. I’m afraid of clowns but the pilgrim costume is just damn creepy. Where is the movie with the “Pilgrim Killer”? That would be one I’d avoid….especially if he met a clown. A clown with spiders.

Now back to my favourite topic…

With Christmas fast approaching, my wife and I have been discussing what to get our boys for Christmas. It is getting harder since as they get older the gifts become more expensive and therefore the presents under the tree become less and less overpowering. In past years we have filled the tree and almost the room on a semi-conservative budget. We always spend more than we intend to but we do it because we enjoy the giving of gifts. I don’t ask for any gifts myself. I don’t need them. Maybe a new deck of cards (I haven’t written about my obsessions with cards) or a sweater but there is nothing I desperately want. I honestly get more joy from giving gifts. Last year I got my wife a diamond necklace (the chain was too short because I am a moron) and told her there wasn’t any money for gifts for us. So I lied to her to spend the majority of money on her and the boys. Yes, I did get some gifts and I love open a gift or two on Christmas morning, but the parts I remember most aren’t about what I got. It was about the time with my family and the feeling of warmth and happiness I get from Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

But this year I am struggling to figure out what to do for my boys. I want the tree to continue to look spectacular but I also don’t want the day to be about the gifts, but rather the experience of the whole day. But gifts play a part. They are just kids.

I think my wife and I figured out what to get them to make it work. I know what to get her but I have left her in the lurch as usual. She has no idea what she can get me. I have asked for nothing. I require nothing, yet I would like a gift or two under that tree. How’s that for messing with her?

And another little thing…….

The Occupy Toronto (Wallstreet, Ottawa, Timmins) protests are all but done. They have been moved out of parks and they are on to the next thing. They want to Occupy Christmas. They say it is all about consumerism and they want to put a stop to it. Sure, I just wrote 400 words about my struggle with gifts, but it isn’t consumerism. I think that’s what they are really missing. I know there are some people that stress about Christmas and the right gifts and it makes them hate the holiday. I don’t understand that mentality. It isn’t about the cost of the gift but what the gifts really mean. I know I can make my boys very happy with their gifts and not spend a fortune. I know that the Diamond Necklace isn’t my wife’s favourite Christmas gift. Her favourite was one the cost me nothing but time and creativity. I made her a stop-motion plasticine movie. It took hours to make but it was from my heart and a great gift.

So I understand that buying “the best” is not what Christmas is about. I don’t need a protest group trying to stop me from doing what I want. I think they miss the irony that why they complain and protest about oppression and how 1% of the population gets to make decisions, they are doing the same thing. They are a small group trying to make everyone follow their way of thinking. It’s not much different.

Just stay away from my Christmas.

 

Where to Buy Zombie Matter…but Only an Ounce

I can post today.

The freezing rain didn’t put too much of a wrench into my plans of a long commute to Toronto. I made it with far too much time on my hands and I am already prepared for the day. They haven’t even brought in my coffee and pastries that I won’t eat yet.

Yesterday wasn’t as difficult as I thought it would be in regards to the food. I had a few people laugh at me as I went to my car to eat my own lunch instead of the Italian flavoured lunch the seminar provided but I didn’t care too much. I like my lean meatballs and green beans. Even if they were cold.

Random thought – Is it really bizarre that I like to see police lights early in the morning? It makes me think of a Christmas tree and it brings me joy.

Another random thing: The latest and possibly strangest search string that made someone find this blog was “where to find an oz of zombie matter”. What the hell? Someone, who must believe that zombies exist, is looking for zombie like matter. Are they looking to start an apocalypse? Are they looking to study zombies? But they must be on a very tight budget since they appear to be just looking for an ounce of zombie matter. Why just an ounce? That’s what makes me really question them. What was going through their head? Maybe it was an ingredient in a much larger potion. The potion asked for an ounce of zombie matter and the person couldn’t find it at Sobeys. Not that I blame them, I have a hard time finding dish cloths at Sobeys. I imagine finding such a specific ingredient would be worse.

Yeah, it’s a short post but I found the time to write something!

 

Christmas Cheer on Film

It looks like I can get a blog entry in on time today.

I got to the place by the airport around 7am. I didn’t really have to be here until 8:30am but I had no idea where I was going or what the traffic would be like. Regardless I am here early and I am watching them set up the continental breakfast. I am quite jealous. I would love to eat those pastries and bagels. I desperately want to eat that blueberry danish. Instead I will settle for coffee.  I don’t know what is being served for lunch but I know it will be hard not to eat it. I have my specially prepared lunch sitting in my car. I will look pathetic but I know it’s healthy and better for me in the long run.

Damn it. I will need to do a long run tonight. Sigh. Health and fitness can really suck.

I am not a very patient man. I try to be patient but when certain things get a hold of me I cannot wait. So yesterday I started to decorate my desk for Christmas. I know it is early and I know I said I would wait, hell, I am not even going to at work again until Friday. But it didn’t matter. I took one Santa out and the next thing I knew I had 3 Santas, a singing snowman, a stocking and a few more things. I was able to control myself a little and I held back on lights, a wreath and a few ornaments. It really is a sickness. It’s a Christmas sickness.

My Christmas sickness knows no bounds. I am already trying to plan when I will watch the staple Christmas movies.

I have already watched National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (but that’s an almost every day movie) and we watched most of Elf. I still have the following movies to watch:

A Christmas Story (annual Christmas Eve movie only)

A Muppet Christmas Carol (quite possibly the best adaptation)

A Christmas Carol (Patrick Stewart version…excellent and faithful)

Miracle on 34^th Street

Love Actually (really…such a fantastic movie)

A Muppet Family Christmas (watch out for the icy patch!)

Home Alone (my son loves this movie, I mean he freaking loves it)

It’s a Wonderful Life (it is a semi-Christmas movie…that’s a post on its own)

And a whole bunch of Christmas TV Specials. I have a lot to watch and so little time.

Suggestions? Name the best Christmas movie ever….(and be serious)

 

Count Dooku vs the Christmas Decorations

It’s Monday.

Regular readers beware! I have a series of presentations to give this week and I may be unable to post every morning. I try to write in the evenings and then post it in the morning but I may not be able to do it. You have been warned.

This weekend marked the beginning of the Christmas season in my house. I spent Saturday on my roof putting up lights. Usually I buy new lights every year (because I always want something different) but I kept my old LED lights from last year. However, I did add about 195 more lights to my roof. I am not sure how I added these lights though. I thought I used the same pattern as last year but this year I came up short. So it was off to Canadian Tire to purchase more lights. I am pretty glad I went though. I think the house looks good.

The inside of the house was saved for Sunday. Once I had completed my workout, we spent the day decorating. What you must understand is that this isn’t just about putting up a tree. Our house looks like a small mall, or a Christmas Museum. We have something everywhere. Most of the decorations we graciously given to us by the mother of one of our friends.  She decided she didn’t want to decorate as much anymore and she gave them to us. Her daughter and my wife grew up together and she was happy to see the decorations put to good use.  I only wish she could see the house. It’s very Christmasy. What I enjoy most of all is that both my boys join in and get excited to decorate the house. They see the old decorations and comment on their favourites. Buttons are pressed and snowmen will be singing Christmas Carols and they will sing and dance with them.  The box of tree ornaments will be dumped and there will be fights to see who gets to hang with one. The annual “Hide the GI Joe figure” in the tree contest will start. I think my boys will be in their 20s and still always look to see where I hide the Joe figure this year.  There used to be a “Hide the Jedi” as well, but Kit Fisto didn’t make it. The joy the decorating brings me is very hard to explain. I always helped my Mum decorate as I grew up but it was never a family affair. My father never took part. He always found some excuse not to be around and usually had some problem with how we did the decorations or he just didn’t give a shit. I wanted everyone to be involved. I loved my tree and decorations so much and I just wanted my family to enjoy it too. At night I would sit by the tree without any lamps on, just the multi-coloured lights, and stare at the tree and the wonderful colours. It always made me feel warm and the crap around me would dissipate. I didn’t sit there and dream of wonderful presents and Santa, although the Big Man would enter my thoughts, but I just enjoyed the feeling of warmth that the decorations and the tree provided me.

I’m happy that I can give these things to my children. I am pretty sure they appreciate the feelings that they bring. And this year since the Superstore had a No Tax Special plus 40% off Christmas Trees, we were able to buy a tree for their bedroom. It’s a little tree but they sure had fun decorating it and lighting it up. It is hard not to get teary thinking of things like this. These are the feelings of Christmas. It is not about a present or what will be under my tree this year. It is about the warmth caused from family and friends and a season of true joy. I know it sounds like a corny Hallmark Christmas card. But Hallmark has great Christmas cards! And you can get singing Snowmen, Charlie Browns and a Christmas Vacation Ornament…that sings!

I was also able to contain myself while I hung my Grandmother’s ornaments. Last year I wrote about  the emotional hit I take when trying to hang her homemade ornaments and this year was no different. But I was also lucky enough to give one to my boys to hang on their tree. I wonder if this will be a new tradition. Will my boys have one of these ornaments on their tree as adults? Will ornament be more a memory of me or their long dead great-grandmother? I’m not sure. But I am happy that her presence is still around my tree.

I went a little crazy around dinner and ran off to Canadian Tire to buy more Christmas Crap. I got coloured lights for the garage and porch, tea towels, place mats and dinner plates. These are things we never had before and my wife always wanted plates. They happened to be on sale at Canadian Tire and I bought a small set. It was a perfect way to close off the decorating day. I even found leftover Christmas Crackers from last year and we opened them at dinner. Sure, it is a month before the holiday and yes, we may have looked like fools with our paper crowns, but we didn’t care. It was a fun day.

As for the Count Dooku Diet update, I am still maintaining. Saturday morning I had dropped to a record of 178 lbs. I had not eaten anything off the diet since my fajita gorgefest and it was I was hesitating with what I should eat. After spending time on my roof in the cold, I went with Nachos and Salsa (my last from Ninfa’s on Navigation) and a Pepi’s Pizza (with pepperoni, mushroom, bacon and pineapple). I also drank half of a vanilla Coke. It was all fucking delicious and for a moment I wonder what the hell was I doing eating healthy all the time. Then my stomach started to hurt and I remembered. Sunday morning was another reminder when my weight hit 184 lbs. Did I really gain 6 pounds from pizza? I doubt it but it sure seemed like it. My weight was back to 181.6 lbs this morning and all is normal again. It makes me wonder if I need this “celebration” meal every week. Although, Pepi’s is really damn good.

My other issue this week was exercising. I skipped Friday and my motivation is getting low. I find myself at the gym and not wanting to work as hard as I have in the past. Perhaps my motivation was linked to seeing results and I have been stagnant for a long time now. Maybe the routines I have been doing are boring. I haven’t done a lot of classes lately either. I am a little worried that I may start decreasing my trips to the gym. I am not sure. I am still going, I am still running 6km (and I have added more incline to it) and I am still doing weights. I just don’t have the same drive to do it. I will need to watch myself for a bit. See if I keep going. This blog may keep me honest.

There that’s the weekend. Bring on the week!

 

Oh, Secular Evergreen Tree Decorated with Christian Ornaments and Santa Claus That is Clearly Not A Christmas Tree

More ridiculousness for a Friday….

Yesterday the City of Waterloo lit its giant spruce tree in the middle of town square.  Just because Christmas is coming and it is decorated in Christmas lights, don’t call it a Christmas tree. City Counsellor Melissa Durell said, “The city of Waterloo calls it a holiday tree because we’re respecting all the different people who celebrate at this time of year.” What the hell is she saying? What are they respecting? Hanuhkah? Kwanzaa? Those holidays don’t have a tree decorated in lights. Sure, Hanukkah is the festival of lights, but they don’t decorate an evergreen tree and put presents under it. There is a Hanukkah bush but it isn’t the same thing.

Anyway, I find this renaming of the tree silly. I shouldn’t be bothered since they haven’t stopped decorating trees and they haven’t decorated them with unicorns and daisies. It still looks like a Christmas tree and if someone looks at it they will think it is a Christmas tree, so the name doesn’t really matter. But that’s what pisses me off. The City of Waterloo can feel like they are respecting all religions by calling a Christmas tree by another name. It won’t change anything and I would actually be insulted if this was done to appease me. It is no different than wearing a cross and saying, “This isn’t a cross! It’s the letter “t”!” Sure they may be a man crucified to this “t” but as long as you don’t call it a crucifix, then it is suddenly non-religious.

“Why this isn’t a Menorah! This is merely a fancy candelabra that I light each night for eight days for no reason!”

“This star and crescent is not Islamic! How silly, it is merely the moon and a star that you see at night.”

It all sounds stupid. A man of Muslim faith was asked what he thought about the Holiday tree. He simply responded, “Call it what you want. When I see it, I see a Christmas tree.”

So it is a Christmas tree. I will be decorating a Christmas tree this weekend. If I see you in December I will wish you a Merry Christmas. If you wish me a Happy Hanukkah or Hirja (in a week) or Kwanzaa, I will feel warmed by your affection and thank you. I respect all religions and welcome them, but don’t tell me a Menorah is not a Menorah and a Christmas Tree is not a Christmas Tree. Just ask Jolly Holiday Man in a Red Suit. Don’t call him Santa, though. That’s religious.

Yesterday I wrote about UnFriending me. Go read it, it is brilliantly written and worthy of praise. I said that I had 59 Friends and I went on about deleting people who bug you. Somehow I have 60 Friends today. Where did this mystery person come from? I didn’t accept a friend. Did someone return from the dead? Am I that great (yes)? I thought I would be able to say that I lost a few and it looks like I didn’t. People must love me.

And lastly,

I am closing in on 6 months on the Count Dooku diet. In less than two weeks I will be able to mark a half-year of eating right, exercising and trying to live a healthy life style. I need to really compose my thoughts on it and have a good reflection on what I have and have not accomplished. This next week will have a few difficult days for me to write since I am giving presentations downtown Toronto for 3 days and I am off to Ottawa to give two more. So I apologize in advanced if all I post are about planes, trains and food in strange places.

Oh…that’s a good title.