Cosmo and Me

I've lost weight!

2012-02-26T10:55:00.000-05:00

It has been a struggle to lose weight this past month. So many obstacles to overcome. But I have lost weight and now I can hug myself for the job well done.

My daughter and I went shopping yesterday; albeit raging snowstorm and hormones! We had a buffet lunch where I was able to enjoy my weekly "cheat" meal without totally going off the wagon.

I felt pretty guilty so I worked out last night at the gym and then again this morning. Now I feel better or is it those endorphins talking to me?

I have done some tweaking to my diet to make sure I an getting enough protein on a daily basis.

How many more weeks until spring?

President's Day

2012-02-20T20:04:00.000-05:00

Usually when I have a day off from work I try to schedule appointments so I don't have to use sick or vacation time. I scheduled my yearly dilated eye exam and also planned to visit Trade Joe's and Whole "paycheck" Foods, as they are nearby to my doctor's office. I didn't plan on it being a very sunny day and with dilated eyes; painful! But the good news, my eyes are fine and haven't changed in two years. Plus I did a little shopping at both stores. I wish that Trader Joe's would open up a store somewhere in Lake County. They have such great products and excellent customer service.

I arrived home sooner than I thought and called my trainer; Drake at SNAP to see if he had an earlier time today as I was originally scheduled for 7pm. Yeppers....he saw me at 1:30pm. I arrived early and did 25 minutes on the treadmill to warm up. Drake had me doing core and working with the giant ball...well my balance isn't the best, but improving. I was also working out with weights. He stated he can tell I look like I am losing weight...I was all smiles!

Tomorrow will be a test as it is my departments monthly breakfast...a table loaded with goodies and such. Of course I'm bringing in two treats, one good; calorie controlled snacks and one very naughty: balaclava.

Have a great week everyone!

Weights...sweat...and chocolate!

2012-02-17T18:13:00.000-05:00

I started a fixed routine on the weight resistance machines last night at SNAP with my trainer; Drake. I have many areas for improvement; all in due time.

My custom blend whey cold-processed isolate protein powder arrived from truenutrition.com yesterday and I must say it is double chocolate, sweetened with stevia...and very delicious. It has about 100 calories per serving, 2g of carbs, and about 30g of protein. It is affordable, tastes good, and does not give me any "bloat"; which is a plus. It was very easy to work in my meal plan.

Tomorrow I'll attend the boot camp.

Have a great weekend!

Time to Shop?

2012-02-16T18:00:00.001-05:00

Shopping....a favorite pastime of mine...especially shoes. Imelda Marcos I'm not...even a size eight! But, I do have aspirations!

I have decided in my best interest to work out every other day. My body isn't twenty anymore and I can't make myself look like Madonna...although I can try. She has lots more money...lol.

Drake at SNAP has been working me pretty hard and really for the first time in my life appreciate the efforts. Years of trying crazy diets have taken their toll and I have learned my lesson. I am now eating pretty healthy and it is starting to show. I have lost a lot of inches, more than pounds at this state. I can barely keep my trousers up...and that's a good thing!

Sticking to a plan is not easy...it takes sheer will power and determination. I am doing this to save my life first and foremost..that is my goal. I push myself and then I push myself more. I should buy stock in Advil and Ben Gay!

When it comes to meal planning I have some hints. If you are a member of Sam's Club...try Jennie-O 95/5 white meat turkey burgers. They also have frozen wild caught salmon burgers. You can cook the burgers from their frozen state on a grill and they are delicious. I do my best to eat wild caught seafood when available. I found that Heinens has very fresh wild caught fish at a reasonable price. Remember you can always buy what you need, don't feel obligated to buy more. My average meal portion of seafood is 6-8 ounces per meal. I was previously sticking to four ounces, but was not satisfied. As my weight decreases, I will adjust. I do have red meat once per week. Last night for dinner I made mini sirloin burgers with a slice of fat free cheese on my George Foreman grill. The total amount of meat was six ounces. The two slices of fat free cheeses added ten carbs. Well worth the meal; plus I added veggies. I had 1/2 cup of 1% fat sodium free Giant Eagle cottage cheese before bed. This helps me with my blood sugar levels as my numbers are in the 70-80s all day long. I have avoided the fat free cottage cheese as it is too salty for me. I will be going to Trader Joe's and Whole "paycheck" Foods this coming Monday to see what they offer.

It's Going to be a Great Weekend!

2012-02-11T11:39:00.000-05:00

I'm going to be pampered this weekend as it's my birthday Sunday! My BF took me out to dinner last night at Stadium Grill and I had a prime rib with veggies and three diet Cokes. The prime rib was very fatty so I did a surgical number on it and only ate half...the rest came home. The left over veggies made it into my egg white omelet this morning. Jim had sirloin and two sides as well. Stadium Grill does make a pretty nice dinner salad...I was starved!

Today I went to SNAP and did about 45 minutes on the treadmill as my knee was pretty sore. I also checked out the video classes in their gym..they are pretty fast paced..

This is not an excuse, but the roads were pretty bad early this morning so I didn't make it out to the boot camp...maybe next week.

Tomorrow there is a little party planned for me so that will be my weekly "cheat" meal...and I have earned it!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Popeye the Sailor Man I Am!

2012-02-07T11:19:00.002-05:00

Well, woman that is. I am getting stronger everyday. Drake at SNAP Fitness is working me pretty hard and I am now aware of all my inner and outer strength. I am concentrating on many reps with a lower weight to burn the fat and tone the muscles. I am watching like a hawk what I consume making sure I have the right amount of protein, carbs, and fat grams in my diet. I also have great news on the status of my blood sugar. My average readings are in the 80s for the past two weeks. I have never seen such low numbers. Dr. Doshi is very pleased with my progress. I'm just a bit bummed out as the doctor wanted me to see the registered dietitian at the Cleveland Clinic to manage my diabetes and tweak my caloric intake, but those services are not covered under my insurance plan. However, I belong to Medical Mutual's Disease Management Program and I will have access to a registered dietitian over the phone and am expecting a call sometime tonight after five pm. I need to make sure I am consuming the right amount of protein per kilo of body weight and have to take in account that I work out in a gym and also take classes. I don't want to lose muscle mass. I am a very visual person so I will also look into any community resources that offer diabetes education.

This Saturday I will attend my first boot camp at Slim and Fit. I will continue to attend classes at Pulse as well. My dance card is pretty full right now!

I am vowing to only weigh myself once per week, as my weight greatly fluctuates; something I quite don't understand.

Another Combat Class Completed

2012-02-04T17:15:00.002-05:00

I completed the Combat class at Pulse Fitness Center this morning. I am really proud of myself today as this is my second class. I know I am pretty out of shape and it's going to take a long time on my road to health. Coordination is not my strongest suit; but I'm getting the hang of it. I managed to go to the gym after doing a bit of grocery shopping. 20 minutes on the elliptical and various weight machine were all my body could handle today. Sunday will be my day of rest.

I have a really nice piece of fish for dinner tonight; Hoke. Its related to Cod, but a but milder. I'm in the middle of doing laundry right now...boring! I also did a little shopping today, bought two pair of work-out pants and a top, plus some fiber supplements. At Sam's Club I scored the deal of the day: I bought two London Fog raincoats marked down to $14.91. One red and the other khaki. Sam's also has a case of 24 count of Poweraid Zero for $12.48, which comes to .51 cents each and a lot cheaper than buying it individually.

Doing The Happy Dance Now!

2012-02-02T16:25:00.002-05:00

Today started out with Cosmo; my JRT waking me up at 7am for his morning constitution. (BTW I had requested the day off from work) Then I was off to SNAP Fitness for a 20 minute workout on the elliptical and then weight work. I spent about 1.5 hours and then I had to go home and get ready for my quarterly visit to my Cleveland Clinic Endocrinologist Dr. Doshi. All my tests came back within normal parameters. My average blood glucose readings for the past three weeks were excellent. I still am on Byetta plus metformin extended release to combat some unpleasant side effects. I continue to check my blood sugar 5-6 times a day but Dr. Doshi said I can cut back a bit. I am scheduled for a bone density test and will have another visit with the dietitian to make sure I am on track.

I told my doctor about the Lighten Up contest and will send her a link to the NH article. She is encouraging me to lose more weight.

I managed to visit Starbucks for a skinny Latte and had a small salad at the Clinic.

It is a long road ahead...as they say "Rome was not built in a day"!

Some pain is worth having, just saying.

2012-02-01T07:28:00.003-05:00

OK, the abs hurt...a lot...SNAP Fitness...you will save me!

Last night I did a hard twenty minutes of the elliptical followed by trying out multiple weight machines. I primarily focused on my arms, but I managed to test out the "ab eliminator"...aka the pain in my belly today!

After an hour I called it quits and went home.

I can tell you something is happening here. My black slacks that were pretty tight two weeks ago and pretty loose right now. A certain undergarment of mine can be placed on a smaller hook. Like I said adding the workouts to my diet regime is working. Soon...goodby muffin top!

Tomorrow I am off from work as I have medical appt at Cleveland Clinic with my Endocrinologist. I am hoping all my blood work is within normal parameters.

This weekend I will attend the group classes at Pulse. I really want to try out TRX and the boot camp. As a rank beginner I'll take it easy.

I made it through the first training session at SNAP!

2012-01-31T10:00:00.002-05:00

I can do this! Starting off with twenty minutes on the elliptical, 45 minutes training with Drake, and then twenty minutes on the treadmill. I am turning into a fat-burning machine before my own eyes!

Finding out I had muscles where I didn't think they existed was a real surprise. Drake worked me hard doing core exercises with weights and a six pound medicine ball...something new to me. I did floor work as well. He pushed me and I complied. You should have seen me doing all the fancy leg work, I felt like a superstar!

Other members working out at the gym actually cheered me on for making it through the session and that really boosted my confidence.

Needless to say I slept like a baby last night!

My next training session is this Friday.

The Best is Yet To Come!

2012-01-29T15:22:00.001-05:00

I know now I am not alone anymore into my journey to become well and whole again. Myself and many others met today at Slim and Fit for the introduction into The News Herald's 2012 Lighten Up contest. We were interviewed, photographed, weighed and measured. I currently work out at Snap Fitness in Mentor-on-the-Lake with trainer Drake Delande who has faith in me and will assist me to reach my personal goals. I have started doing nearly an hour of cardio on a daily basis. I am using the Octane elliptical and Matrix treadmill. Tomorrow I am meeting with Drake for my first training session.

A bonus of this contest is the participation from Slim and Fit in Concord and Pulse Group Fitness Studio Center in Painesville Twp which have offered a series of classes gratis. The Lake County General health District is also participating with nutritional support.

I will continue to work with my endocrinologist and the nutrition department of the Cleveland Clinic to manage my health issues.

Today I weighed 185. My goal is in the 140s. I have a long way to go. Wish me luck!

Today is the big day!

2012-01-29T09:24:00.002-05:00

I woke up at 7am, or should I say Cosmo woke me up. I took him outside, fed and watered him and then put my gym clothes on and headed off to SNAP FITNESS http://www.snapfitness.com/mentoronthelake for a quick work-out. Ten minutes on level four of the Octane elliptical http://www.octanefitness.com and 30 minutes on the Matrix treadmill http://www.matrixfitness.com. was all I had planned to do so far.

I'm home now and will start to get ready for my noon appointment at Slim and Fit Center in Concord, OH. http://slimandfit.com/ I will be weighed and measured for the News Herald "Lighten Up 2012" contest. I will visit Slim and Fit once per month for a weigh-in and to record my progress.

I purchased a few gym clothes yesterday. I would have bought another pair of pants, however they were out of my size. No more XXL or XL for me!!! It feels good to be able to fit in regular sized clothes again. For such a long time, really for several years I could only squeeze in plus sized clothes.

It is totally amazing!

2012-01-27T20:12:00.004-05:00

I was really looking forward to my fitness test/evaluation at SNAP Fitness 24/7 today. Feeling pretty motivated I arrived early and completed a 15 minute program on the elliptical at level two.

Now comes the hard part and I had no idea what this evaluation encompassed. Well, I was worried about nothing!

I passed my fitness test with flying colors. My heart rate after one mile on a treadmill going 3.5-3.7 was 124. I did thirty sit-ups in one minute, and my stretch test was good. My strength test was normal. My blood pressure was normal. My BMI states I am "overweight", not "obese". I did weigh however 2 pounds more than this morning, but I was fully clothed and of course had food in my system, but I'm not going to worry about that. Now my fat level was pretty bad, and I have a lot to work on if I want to reach my goal of 135 pounds in six months. I have 52 pounds to lose!

Drake did an excellent job of testing me. On Monday I start training after work.

Tomorrow morning I will have blood work done at Cleveland Clinic. The quarterly A1C, Vitamin D level, and urinalysis. I have to fast after midnight, but in all reality I finished my dinner at 8:00pm, and the only thing else I'll consume is water. My left knee was a bit sore as I have a past injury, so I took some over the counter pain pills.

Tomorrow is another day.

The time is now!

2012-01-26T19:58:00.006-05:00

I am a contestant in the News Herald's "Lighten Up" contest which starts February 1st, 2012. I am currently training at SNAP FITNESS 24/7 Gym in Mentor-on-the-Lake. My trainer's name is Drake Delande,ACSM and the manager is Brian Salvatore,ACSM. I am following a revised weight-loss program from The Cleveland Clinic nutrition/dietary department which will provide me with everything I need to manage Type II diabetes. I am also under the care of a CCF Endocrinologist. I have quarterly blood work. I take the following supplements: Potassium Rx, multiple vit tab, Vit D, MegaRed, and calcium.

For the past week or so I have been doing cardio on the treadmill and elliptical only until I start training. it has been a long time since I have been in a gym and I am ashamed I have been such a slacker. I have a health assessment at the gym tomorrow. I have four sessions scheduled for training over the next two weeks.

I weigh in and have another assessment at Slim & Fit Personal Weight Loss & Fitness this Sunday. I will be required to weigh in once a month. I believe the contest ends sometime in August.

I am determined not only to lose weight, get fit, and to rid the scourge of diabetes from my body. I am planning on winning the contest as well.

Crash Test Dummy, part 2

2011-04-27T07:19:00.004-04:00

I weighed myself this morning, lost 3.5 pounds. Now I don't know why, but I drank a lot of water. Think: Niagara Falls. Maybe the stack helped, but it is not the supplement for me. Today I am taking the NewChapter Organics every woman's ONE DAILY multi vitamin and later in the day a serving of Optimum Nutrition (ON) Platinum Hydro Whey Turbo Chocolate protein shake. This I know I will love, as it's chocolate! In the past I have had ON's protein shakes and found them satisfying. This shake has 140 calories, 2 grams of carbs, and 30 grams of protein. Just the ticket for me!

http://www.bestpricenutrition.com/optimum-nutrition-platinum-hydrowhey-350-lbs-pr-20818.html

http://www.bestpricenutrition.com/new-chapter-every-womans-one-daily-72-tabs.html

These products and many more can be found on:
http://www.bestpricenutrition.com/

Crash Test Dummy.....

2011-04-26T09:18:00.005-04:00

Well, I am testing products now to see if they will help me lose the last amount of weight that has been driving me nuts the past several months. I literally have tried everything short of starvation and spending hours chained to the gym. I have had several transgressions, so I am at fault here, but basically I have been watching what I eat. I am striving to rid myself of Type II diabetes. The Rx meds I take are: Byetta 2x a day, metformin (if I commit carbocide), enalapril/hctz (water pill), Vit D 50k (once per month), and a few vitamins.

The first product is a "stack", a fat burner called RoxyLean.

http://www.bestpricenutrition.com/bpi-roxylean-eca-supplement.html

I followed the instructions and took one cap on an empty stomach this morning at 5:45am. By 6:30am I was rushed! Jittery is more like it. Also feeling a bit flushed due to the 25mg of niacin. The instructions state not to take anything with caffeine, and I listened. I had my jumbo decaff today along with three whole eggs and two whites, a diet caffeine free pop and another decaff coffee. At 9:00am, my body settled down, and not jittery anymore.

I have no appetite as I write. The Byetta usually curbs my appetite but lately it has not been working and I maybe immune to the med although my blood sugar is excellent. My last A1C was 6.

I have been following (not closely) the Dukan Diet for the past several months and since last August have lost a lot of weight. The Dukan diet is very difficult and you may need a doctor to follow and maybe the help of a registered dietitian.

What I learned is to take this supplement on a full stomach at breakfast to minimize the side effects. I'm not sure at this time if this is the right supplement for me as I have a long way to go.

The rest of the day...

I had a salmon burger for lunch with a decaf coffee and a diet pop. I drank water throughout the day. I was pretty tired the rest of the day, more like a truck hit me. I went home and had a five egg white omelet and a plate of cauliflower plus more water. I really was too tired to even go to the gym and my dog needed attention.

In conclusion this product is not for me. Maybe if I was twenty years younger and had no other health problems it may work, but I can't risk any more side effects.

Tomorrow is another day.

Random highway signs

2011-02-20T20:52:00.001-05:00

2011-02-20T20:32:00.002-05:00

2011-01-31T11:58:00.001-05:00

Weight Loss Update

2010-08-08T14:32:00.003-04:00

I am now down 12 pounds. I feel great. My MD stopped my blood pressure meds and I have cut back my insulin by 85%. This Dukan diet really works!

I had to buy another scale this past Friday, mine went south. There was a slight difference in weights, not to my advantage.

I'm not very happy with my George Foreman grill. The plates don't stay attached and it seems it takes a lot longer lately to cook anything. Right now I can't afford to buy a new grill and this one is pretty much out of warranty. I paid a big chunk of change for this George Foreman grill and I expected it to last longer than a year.

I'm down 8.2 pounds as of today!

2010-08-01T17:20:00.003-04:00

I remained the same weight as yesterday...and am pleased I did not gain anything. I'm on the attack phase for one more day. But I had some tomatoes and green beans so I guess I am officially on the "cruise" phase. I was hungry today for the first time.

My only problem so far is the dreaded constipation! I have been taking Citrucel since Friday evening and nothing so far. I'm drinking a ton of water and even had a bottle of sparkling mineral water as well.

I have chicken breasts grilling in my George Foreman grill with a little Mrs. Dash and low sodium soy sauce. Boy, do they smell great!

For the second time on a months time, my a/c broke. First it was the compressor, not I believe it is the blower motor. I can here the a/c make noise but no air comes out of the vents. The units here are over 25 years old and they just keep taking them from the vacant units without any regard to disrepair! I made them aware of this situation yesterday when it happened but they won't do anything until tomorrow. In the mean time it is 83 degrees inside and I am roasting alive!

The couple on the first floor with a small child had to wait one week for theirs to become fix. If I have to wait anyone that a day, I am not renewing my lease which is due at the end of September.

Seven is a lucky number!

2010-07-29T08:46:00.005-04:00

Yeppers, hopped on the digital scale this morning...seven pounds lost!

I didn't think I would lose anything because I was making the Dukan diet recipe for "fake mayo", which contained 2 hard boiled eggs, a bit of mustard, and a type of creamy cheese which isn't sold in the US, so I used the equivalent of non-fat plain yogurt. I did some tasting and also had about a cup and a half of the plain yogurt with a bit of cinnamon and Splenda. And I still lost weight! This program is working!

I don't miss the carbs at all.

I did a brisk walk of about 30 minutes, yes, in this heat we are currently experiencing...I was exhausted.

It was my second walk of the day, the first being with Cosmo for his afternoon delight.

We had thunderstorms last night and Cosmo became pretty scared. He went to his usual hiding place and then crawled into bed with his mommy. I didn't want to give him any Xanax because the weather has been pretty stormy and I don't want home to become an addict.

I can see it now... Cosmo addicted to Xanax selling my goods to the Gold and Silver Pawn Shop in Las Vegas for a fix! Anything for a Chumlee fix!

Dukan weight loss update

2010-07-27T20:48:00.004-04:00

I have lost five pounds as of 7/27/10. I started the program on 7/24/10. I am very proud of myself. I am not any more tired that if I was not on this program. My job is stressful which triggers binges. Especially chocolate!

If I can only find more ways to inhale the oat bran I need on a daily basis. 1.5-2T a day. I have made them into "pancakes" with Splenda, egg white, and 2T of fat free plain yogurt and they taste OK. I make them the night before and take them in a baggie to work to eat at breakfast with my protein choice, which for the past two days have been chicken breast I grilled using my George Foreman grill.

I have an appointment with my Cleveland Clinic endocrinologist on August 12th. I am hoping I show some signs of improvement.

I have been able to lower my insulin doses and my blood glucose readings have headed south....I am thrilled about this. It is because I am eating less to 20 carbs or less a day, I estimate. The oat bran does have carbs, but not many. My blood pressure is also lower to the point of getting a tad dizzy, so not I don't rush to stand up.I check for ketones, but have only had a trace so far.

I'm going to be on the "attack" phase #1 for a total of ten days, I have six more days to go. Then I will transition to the "cruise" phase where I will alternate protein days with veggies and then pure protein days. But, only a limited choice of veggies are allowed. Out are the high starch and high sugar veggies like potato, corn, beets. Basically I'll stick with salad stuff, asparagus, green beans, and the like. I have to use common sense.

According the the Dukan website I should be at my "ideal" weight by the end of the year. They said my ideal weight for s female who is 5 foot 8 inches is 161 pounds. I want to be at least twenty pounds lower than that...so I have my work cut out!

One disclaimer...I did not join the program as it is very expensive and you have to pay via PayPal which I do not use. I have researched this program on-line and what I have found is what the Dukan website is selling. I don't need "coaching", just the outline of the program which I already have and the recipes are readily available.

How the Dukan Diet works – The French diet that is supposed to end the obesity epidemic – The Blogs at HowStuffWorks

2010-07-23T23:39:00.000-04:00

How the Dukan Diet works – The French diet that is supposed to end the obesity epidemic – The Blogs at HowStuffWorks

The Dukan Diet

2010-07-23T23:33:00.005-04:00

The diet I have been on has been pretty boring and I'm tired of all the protein shakes. I just found about this program. For the next seven days I eat nothing but protein and 1.5 tablespoons of oat bran a day. If I can handle protein shakes and a salad per day I can handle eating chicken and fish, maybe an egg. I can also have fat free cottage cheese and whatever is on the list. Actually I can eat as much protein as I want. I also have to drink lots of water and other liquids. Just ZERO carbs! I can do that. I start tomorrow. I have everything I need in the fridge. I know I'll lose a lot of water weight. Pishing all night long is not something I'll look forward too!

On my present program since 7/12/10 I'm down five pounds...that was two weeks ago! OK, I didn't do so well. I promised myself I would lose ten pounds before my next endocrinologist appointment at The Cleveland Clinic on August 12th. I go for blood work on the 7th. I am hoping my A1C has lowered. She is also doing a CBC as well.

The Vulture aka Giant Eagle had my favorite tuna and salmon in cans on sale...$1.00 each. I have frozen chicken breast and shrimp in the freezer. I'm hoping my daughter Chelsea eats up the rest of my salad green, or they will go bad. She is supposed to stay the weekend but has not arrived yet. There have been massive thunderstorms all night long, that is maybe holding her up. On the other side, Cosmo has been terrified I had to dose him a doggie Xanax in peanut butter.

One last note, my soul-mate is on a jet to Europe tonight and I dearly miss him!

Pens T-Shirt Description. Nuts anyone???

2010-07-07T17:40:00.002-04:00

Take-Out anyone?

2010-07-07T17:37:00.002-04:00

Trust in Moses!

2010-07-07T17:36:00.002-04:00

Charred Walls of the Damned 7/6/10 Peabodys Cleveland, OH

2010-07-07T17:19:00.013-04:00

News Flash....

2010-06-25T14:31:00.002-04:00

The Senate failed to pass an extension of unemployment benefits yesterday. Then why, can't they let unemployed people withdraw funds from their 401 and 403(b) and IRA accounts without a tax or penalty?

Lets face it. Jobs are gone. Even Micky D's isn't hiring. College education men and women will be homeless as well as the unskilled without a source of income to support them.

Mr. Obama I know you are not happy the extension was not passed, so why not take away the penalties and taxes for those who have no way to support themselves?

2010-03-17T19:31:00.001-04:00

Paris 2010

2010-03-17T09:40:00.003-04:00

2010-03-17T09:33:00.001-04:00

My Trip To Paris Part Five

2010-03-16T21:46:00.000-04:00

Part Five. 6March2010

I awoke quite early this day and managed a quick “street food” breakfast and a coffee on my way to the Metro.

Finally, it’s Saturday and the Salon International de L’Agriculture fair is here and I can’t wait to be there. I have been waiting several months to attend. If you have ever been to Cleveland’s’ IX Center, well it’s about five times larger. Imagine a state fair, but for an entire country plus other countries represented as well. Every region of France was there. Food, livestock, machinery, solar, you name it, it was there. I came for the wine and I left very happy. The fair is very, very French. It is also very cultural. Roving musicians, youth groups, and representatives from all over France with their goods for sale and sample. There were very few English speakers in attendance and many vendors were quite surprised to see “outsiders” such as myself. I had a blast! I have never seen so many varieties of cattle and ducks. There was a working dog demonstration and loads of goats. Dannon yogurt had a large interactive display, but that was it for anything American. I was able to sample fine French yogurt and cheese in the dairy area along with several varieties of milk. I wish I would have been able to take some cheese home, but it all needed to be kept cool.

The next pavilion contained smaller animals and hard goods for sale such as clothing and western wear. I bought a heave fleece jacket from Norway for 29Euros. Many different kinds of tractors and solar equipment were on display. Many other “green” energy ideas were also on display along with ways to recycle.

I made my way to the food and wine pavilion which was held on two floors. I could not believe my eyes when I walked into the huge space. Wine, cheese, bread, pastries, many sit down places to eat. Sausage, meat, caviar, and even Russian vodka were all on display. I don’t think I have ever had that much wine in my entire life! I spoke to a few vineyard owners to see if their wine was available in the States, and sadly to say French export law is difficult and many wines can’t be purchased in the USA. In fact one owner told me the good wine stays in France. I truly believed him.

I probably spent about five hours in attendance with about half the population of France that day, as it was packed to the rafters. I really picked the wrong day to go as I had no idea this show was that popular. Next time I’ll try for a weekday. Stuffed and a bit buzzed, I made my way back to the metro and to my hotel to drop off what I purchased. I rested a bit and made my way to a bistro for some dinner, late in the evening.

Stay tuned for my final entry!

2010-03-16T20:37:00.000-04:00

2010-03-16T20:30:00.000-04:00

Photos From Paris 3March2010-7March2010

2010-03-16T20:02:00.001-04:00

http://picasaweb.google.com/scheer.lisa/Paris2010#/

I need techinal assistance with my blog!

2010-03-16T09:05:00.002-04:00

OK, I'm not an expert, newsflash. Why can't my links show up right as listed in previous blog post? I am still working on editing pictures, well, will be when I get home from work. I'll open up an on-line photo account like Flicker, or if anyone out there has a better idea. I also need help with editing a short movie of Cosmo at the dog park and to put in the music Wagner's' Flight of the Valkyrie's, did I spell that right?

I am using a photo editing program what is pure crap. I'll need to go back to photoshop.

My Trip to Paris Part Four

2010-03-13T20:17:00.004-05:00

Part Four 5March2010

I set my sights high today. I planned to visit the Eiffel Tower, the Musee national de la Marine, The Arch d’Triumph, and the Louvre. I also managed to get some shopping in and visit some small art galleries. In between all those places I managed to have a nice breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

The Eiffel Tower is a magnificent fete of human ingenuity. This thing is massive. The crowds no doubt were massive as well. Listening to the many voices present it sounded like a mini UN. What amazed me were the reactions of the hundreds of children. There was an abundance of Italian, Israeli, and Northern European visitors that day. I spent at least two hours in line to purchase my ticket to waiting for the elevator. I bought a ticket for 13 Euros to the second floor. Once up to that floor I was freezing. Although the temperatures were in the mid 40s, it was very windy and I don’t think I would have made it up to the top. The height even from the second floor is pretty dizzying, and I took some amazing pictures. I then made my way to the elevator back to the ground packed in like sardines. Manners were quite lacking that day.

I walked back again towards the metro, but I stumbled upon the Museum of the French Marines (Navy). It was listed on my museum pass and thus no admission fee. This museum was not crowded at all. It is in an older building made of stone. The history of the French Navy is displayed in chronological order along with a few special exhibits. I liked how the models of the ships were displayed and the abundance of cannons. The museum had a very nice bookstore where I made a few purchases.

I walked across the bridge over the Seine on my way to the metro to stop at the Arch d’Triumph. Since it is located in the middle of a round-a-bout, one must enter via an underground passage. What can I say about the Arch? It is a monument. It is where the French Unknown Soldier is buried from WWI. There is an eternal flame that has been lit ever since the Unknown Soldier was buried, even Hitler didn’t extinguish the flame. My knee was hurting a bit so I was able to take the elevator for part of the way. There is very good security at the Arch with police carrying big guns.

I made my way to the top of the Arch and had an unobstructed 360 degree views of Paris. I was in total awe. It was a very beautiful day and the sun was starting to warm the air. I couldn’t stay there all day, so I made my way down and through the tunnel to walk along the Champs-Elysee, an amazing and beautiful boulevard. I stopped to visit a few shops and had a coffee at one of the cafes. I started to get a bit hungry and had a craving for a crepe, and I just had too much stuff to carry, so I entered the metro and made my way back to the hotel to rest my feet and grab a crepe. I ended up taking a short nap after lunch, I guess I needed more caffeine or maybe it was the wine?

The Louvre is open late on Friday night, so that was my plan. You know, it is hard for me to see Paris on my own. It is pretty lonely and I have no one to share my thoughts with. It’s not like I can go up to a total stranger and start a conversation. Even getting lost is an adventure. My broken French is just getting me by and not everyone speaks English. That is when I feel most alone is when I am lost on the streets in Paris. I have wondered into some areas in Paris that I didn’t know existed, like a street with nothing but Anime shops and hard core music stores. I was in heaven. Also mixed in on the street were second hand clothing and kitsch stores.

I don’t have anything written about the Louvre as it was pretty crowded, especially the Mona Lisa. I knew it is a small painting, but it is roped off from the public and hard to view. It is almost like visiting Disney world. There is a large upscale shopping mall attached and it is pretty crowded and takes away from the beauty of the museum. Having never been there I had high expectations and was sorely disappointed.

Stay tuned for Part Five.

My Trip to Paris Part Three

2010-03-12T19:43:00.004-05:00

Part Three 4March2010

I slept like a baby and didn’t hear any sounds at all throughout the night. My alarm went off at 8:30am. I collected my thoughts, turned on the TV to CNN World and hopped into the shower. I was out of my room within the hour. I decided at the last minute to purchase the continental breakfast the hotel offered for 8 Euros. I had about three cups of coffee, a croissant and a baguette with some butter and jam. Also offered was juice and tea. Cereal and cold milk was offered but I declined.

My plans for the day included visiting Les Invalides, The Rodin Museum, Musee d’Orsay, visiting an internet café, some shopping, and catching bus #69.

What can I say about Les Invalides otherwise known as Musee de L’Armee Hotel National des Invalides? Napoleon is entombed in the Eglise du Dome. It is so amazing to see three floors of WWI and WWII and modern and ancient war relicts. Historic Saint-Louis des Invalides Cathedral is beautiful. Museums of Liberation and of Deportation are so detailed and yet so sad. What amazed me are some of the guards I came across sound asleep in their chairs, and this was before 12 noon! I spent three hours looking at the exhibits and decided to pay a visit to the on-site cafeteria which did not disappoint. Also on site is a working hospital for veterans. I had a small single serving of onion quiche, a delicious slice of apple pie, and red wine, plus a Coke Light. After lunch I visited the bookstore to make a few purchases.

My next stop was the Rodin Museum which was a short walk away. The famous “Thinker” statue is displayed on the grounds. The museum was very crowded that day with tourists and school groups. There is some very amazing artwork in this small museum, I was in total awe. There are early and later works by Rodin and other artists. The grounds were lovely even though they suffered through a harsh winter. I spent about 90 minutes looking at the sculptures.

My next adventure was to catch the #69 bus that was mentioned in Rick Steve’s travel book on Paris. The bus cost one ticket and did not disappoint. I needed a break off of my feet and nearly road it to the end of the line, but I spotted an internet café so I hopped off at the next stop. I still curse myself for not having a laptop with me! The busses in Paris are quite modern with comfortable seats and stops are announced; however they can become quite crowded during rush hour. Bus #69 rambles down many very narrow one-way side streets and it amazing how narrow these streets really are. The bus also travels adjacent to the Seine and I saw some amazing views.

After spending about an hour at the internet café I made my way to the nearest metro stop towards my hotel, as I was a bit tired. I arrived at my hotel and rested a bit. I consulted with the owner; Tomas and he mentioned that the Musee d’Orsay was open this night. He really had some great advice for me. So after dinner at a local café I headed out to the Musee d’Orsay for a night of magic. I was not the only one who had the idea of visiting that evening, and yet it was crowded. Even though they were completing some major renovations, much of their collection was available to view. Security was also tight and the guard looked in bag which went through a metal detector. The artwork was very beautiful. Huge paintings of the masters and huge sculptures as well filled every space. I can’t name everything, but I managed to take some great pictures; albeit without a flash. I also visited the bookstore; known as a library and made some small purchases. I’m glad now that I purchased a museum pass.

I spent about 2.5 hours at the museum and then it was time to head back to the hotel. The metro was nearby and not complicated at all. The museum is in a very nice area and I felt completely safe all on my own. It was about 10pm when I arrived at my hotel and I was exhausted, but before I went to bed I had a small snack and drank about a liter of water.

Stay tuned for part four.

My Trip To Paris. Part Two.

2010-03-11T17:48:00.004-05:00

Part Two.

There is nothing more amazing than sunrise over the Atlantic. I had no idea what the time was when that orange ball showed up, I was draggled-eyed anyway, but it looked amazing.

About one hour before landing; breakfast was served. Nothing special, but I must have had four cups of coffee. We landed on time and I made my way to the ground transportation area. I stopped by the information booth to purchase a one-way ticket on the Air France bus, bought a 2 day museum pass, and collected a metro map. The service at the kiosk was pretty good and I noticed a supervisor taking notes and observations on the staff servicing the public.

The bus ride was eye opening. I could not believe the amount of graffiti on just about everything. We made our way on a freeway and through congested city streets and finally arrived at the Invalides metro stop. At first I thought that I would never understand the metro system, but I was wrong. This system is easy, you just have to know the lines and everything is marked well and color-coded. I purchased via machine a 10 pack (carnet) of metro tickets each good for a metro or bus ride including a transfer, but not metro to bus transfer. I collected another metro map, this one a bit bigger and easier to read.

I made my way to line 8, and exited at Grands Blvd to my hotel; Monte Carlo in the 9e. http://www.hotelmontecarlo.fr/ This hotel is a 2 star hotel only because it has rooms on the top floor that share a bath and shower; otherwise it would be a three star.

I spent a lot of time researching hotel and located this hotel on trip adviser (TA). http://www.tripadvisor.com/ TA is a very useful tool for all aspects of travel. I utilized the travel forums and was able to obtain very useful information.

I arrive at Hotel Monte Carlo pretty early as check-in is at 3:00pm. I was able to drop off my luggage, use the restroom, and was offered a coffee by the owner; Tomas who was very helpful. This is a small family owned hotel in the middle of everything. Stores, eateries, and the like are in the area as well as two close metro stations. There is a post office and internet café nearby as well. Sad to say I have no laptop with me on this trip. The hotel offers free wifi.

I think I must have arrived at the hotel by 11:00am and was getting hungry. I was a bit in a fog as I didn’t sleep well on the flight. Armed with a map and Euros in my purse I was set to explore the area. My first stop was a grocery store to purchase a liter of water. I didn’t have the energy to visit museums just yet, so I walked and walked. I took a few pictures of unusual sights. I entered the metro and headed off to the center of the city just for fun. Mind you, I was in a fog so I really watched what I did and I declined to drink any wine. That decision didn’t last too long. I eventually made my way to Galleries Lafayette. http://www.galerieslafayette.com/ One entire floor with nothing but shoes, I was in heaven. After putzing around, basically doing nothing I made my back to the hotel to check in.

All hotel rooms in Paris are small by American standards. I was upgraded at check-in to a room facing the courtyard. The bathroom was small but was fine for me. The fixtures were very modern, the bed big enough (similar to a full size) for me and very comfortable. The bedding and towels were like new and soft. The pillows were firm. There was an electronic safe. Key cards were used for the door locks which made me feel safe. The curtains kept out the light so I slept well. There was a flat screen TV and had three English channels (CNN, BBC, and BBC 4), one French, Spanish, Italian, and a Russian channel. I believe I paid 74 Euros a night, about $414 USD total. I could be off a little.

I went to a bistro for dinner and then walked around the area until I was tired enough to go back to the hotel. I eventually crashed for the night.

Stay tuned for Part Three.

My Trip To Paris. Part One.

2010-03-11T16:53:00.002-05:00

My Trip To Paris Part One

2March2010—3March2010

Where to begin! On Monday 1March2010 I left work at 2:00pm and arrived home. I packed up Cosmo, my JRT to take him to A1 Bed and Biscuit Kennel in Chardon. http://www.a1bedandbiscuit.com/

He really loves that place which will be his home for the next week.

I went home and finished packing. I resolved to fit everything in my eBags weekender carry-on. My clothes fit the carry on without a problem. I also needed to see if I could go stand-by on an earlier American Airlines (AA) flight, as my flight to Paris from JFK was switched to leave from Newark and of course I had already purchased non-refundable tickets. Oh well. I spoke with a “customer rep” from AA who said the flight I wanted was pretty full and that for $50.00 I could get a guaranteed seat, so I took the bait and forked over my credit card number. I went to bed about 10:00pm after watching the latest episode of “24”.

Damn, it’s about 4:30am in the morning and I am finally out of bed about to hit the shower. No human should be up at this time. I manage to complete my tasks, have some breakfast, and load the car. I make my way to CLE airport on a deserted freeway. Could I be the only idiot out here?

I drop off my car at Park Place. http://www.parkplacefree.com/ It’s only $5.00 a day and they provide a very reliable shuttle to the airport, about a 3 minute ride. I make my way to the self service kiosk and I print out my boarding pass. This flight to LGA lasts about an hour on a small jet; Embraer ERJ-3. Then it’s on toward security screening and of course I set off the scanner and then have to subject myself to a physical pat down by a power hungry smurf. I make my way to an empty gate. I finally realize that this flight is empty. The GA states there is only seven PAX on board today, and states that Tuesdays are pretty light. I was pretty pissed off as I was lead to believe that this flight was nearly full, $50.00 just was flushed down the toilet.

The FA said we could sit anywhere; however the exit rows were taken, so I just took a seat after I stored my carry on in the overhead bin. The flight was pretty smooth except for a small bit of turbulence. I was offered an entire can of Diet Coke. BOB snacks were for sale, but I declined. We landed on time and I made my way to the ground transportation to the lower east side and the WTC area.

I had great directions using public transportation into NYC. Thanks Blumie! I managed to walk around the public areas around the WTC construction site. I visited the memorial, took some pictures and spoke with a few LEOs . I stopped for lunch at the Stage Deli, visited the Century 21 store, and a few others before making my way to EWR for my early evening flight.

I arrive at EWR already to check in at the OpenSkies (EC) https://www.flyopenskies.com/splash counters; adjacent to British Airways, but they are not open. The BA agent told me that EC does not open until about 2.5 hours before the flight leaves. How inconvenient! There were several other PAX also waiting to check-in and drop off their luggage and they were none too happy. One of the PAX, a French woman living in the US wonders how EC stays in business. Also, EC has a lounge that is shared with Jet Airways, which is also only opened 2.5 hours before the flight. Not a good way to run an airline.

So I take a seat and wait, and wait, and finally a spark of life. I check in and receive my boarding pass and make my way to the lounge; tucked into a corner of EWR airport. The lounge is average in size and does not have adjacent bathrooms. There are local newspapers and some magazines. The beverages consist of wine, champagne, alcohol, pop, water, and juice. They have sandwiches, cheese crackers, and a variety of dips. Nothing hot was available. About 30 minutes before takeoff we made our way to the gate and boarding was pretty easy.

The plane was a Boeing 757-200; a former L’Avion plane that was converted with 12 lie-flat seats and the rest “old school” style reclining seats that reclined to about 140 degrees. The seats are not the seats pictured on EC’s website. Upon arriving to our seats we were given a choice of champagne or juice. The FA gave the usually safety demonstration in English and French, and soon we were off to Orly, a smaller airport near to Paris, France. Soon, hand held video players with recent movie releases, some TV shows, music, and games were given out to the PAX. The only problem I had was the sound was horrible.

About an hour into the flight dinner service was offered. I realize I should have ordered the diabetic special meal. I managed to request the special meal on my journey home. The food looked good, but was loaded with calories and fat. Well, I’m on vacation; aren’t I?

I did try to sleep but it was impossible to get comfortable as the controls for the seat were all manual and hard to operate. The foot rest was metal and my long legs and big feet just did not fit. Somewhere over the Atlantic one of the PAX sustained a medical emergency; passing out and splitting her chin open and requiring a butterfly bandage, oxygen and immediate medical attention. An announcement was made for a doctor on board and the woman in the seat ahead of me answered the call. I really never knew what happened and soon after we landed in Paris, the paramedics and police boarded the plane to assist.

We landed on time and I made my way to the ground transportation area. I bought a ticket on the Air France bus to the Metro station “Invalides”, which was very easy.

Stay tuned to part two.

I've been a bad girl!

2009-12-26T16:19:00.005-05:00

I haven't exactly followed my diet the past few months. My dear daughter and my work have greatly stressed me out.

But...wait there's more...I have won a trip to Paris, so I am stoked and have a new goal... 30 pounds by the date of my trip.. I'm down four already, and it has not been too easy, I struggle everyday. Last night at my cousins' home in Solon for my mothers' 75th BD party. I ate way too much, but not any dessert. Today my BF is coming to stay with me through the New Years and I'll be Julia Child in the kitchen. Right now I have Cowboy Stew cooking in the crock pot and it smelly delicious! Hopefully I can get some serious walking in with the BF and Cosmo. I plan on visiting the art museum, the West Side Market and area, and various parks, albeit if the weather is good. Snow is expected all week long with cold temps.

I'm just happy to have BF here and a week+ off of work.

About my trip to Paris....I'll be there for five days. Due to security I won't post when I am going, but will have a wonderful trip report. I plan to see the Mona Lisa, many of the museums (I'll buy a pass), shopping, all the great stuff! Really.

2009 Great Geauga County Fair

2009-09-16T19:39:00.006-04:00

2009 Cleveland National Air Show

2009-09-16T19:32:00.011-04:00

New weight loss total!!!

2009-09-16T19:25:00.002-04:00

30 pounds total. I had some slip-ups, poor decisions on the weekends, eating out, ect. But I am back on tract. I want to lose 5 more pounds by Monday, when I see my doctor. But...this weekend is Rosh Hashana and dinner at my parents. I'll just drink a gallon of water before dinner!

I have the results of my blood tests from The Cleveland Clinic.
A1C went from 9.8 to 7.4. This is very, very good. I need it lower than 6. Give me three more months.
Cholesterol went from 175 to 168.
I now have normal levels of Vit D.
All the other tests were in normal range.

My endocrinologist will be very pleased!!!

Weight Loss Update!

2009-09-03T08:50:00.000-04:00

The Nectar and suffering are working!!! I have lost 4 pounds this week!!! Whoopeeee!!!!

Weight Loss Update

2009-08-26T07:52:00.002-04:00

Lost 3 more pounds! I just started on the nectar protein powder on 8/24/09. I didn't follow the program on this past weekend, but I didn't over indulge either.

I haven't been to the gym as well, as my knee is really bothering me.

Wednesday Weigh-In

2009-08-19T08:16:00.003-04:00

It was a tough week. I managed to lose one pound. It is better than gaining one pound. I hit a brick wall, so I am cutting back on the carbs (will be less than 30 grams a day) and going high protein for the next week to see what happens. I still am following the Rice Diet; no added salt and quantity limits of food, but in Phase II. I will have for breakfast a 5 egg white (one yolk included) omelet and one small carb portion. Lunch, dinner, and 2 snacks will be shakes or chicken breast or fish/seafood. One small carb portion in the late day as well.

The trainer at the gym, "James", whose muscular arms are the size of my thighs (not too happy about that), told me about "Nectar" protein powder. It has no carbs, no sugar and very high in protein, and very low calorie. I can use it as a meal replacement. I just ordered some plus a sample pack of their flavors. It was a lot cheaper than buying it local, a huge savings; even with modest shipping, I saved a lot. Locally the price was $34.99, on-line it is $24.75. Sample pack of 11 flavors is $16.50.

http://www.bestpricenutrition.com

2.21 Lbs.
Chocolate Truffle
Supplement Facts
Serving Size1Level Scoop(28g)
Servings Per Container36
Amount Per Serving
% Daily Value
Calories
100
Calories From Fat
0
Total Fat
0g
0%*
Saturated Fat
0g
0%*
Trans Fat
0g
Cholesterol
<5mg
1%*
Sodium
160mg
7%*
Potassium
190mg
5%*
Total Carbohydrate
1g
1%*
Dietary Fiber
1g
4%*
Sugars
0g
Protein
23g
46%*
Vitamin A
0%
Vitamin C
0%
Calcium
15%
Iron
0%
Phosphorus
10%
Magnesium
8%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet
Other Ingredients
Whey Protein Isolate (A Milk-Derived Protein; Promina Brand; Ultrafiltered And Undenatured; Includes Beta Protease Peptone, Lactoferrin, Lactoperoxidase, Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder, Natural And Artificial Flavors, Soy Lecithin, Salt, Acesulfame-K, Sucralose
Directions For Syntrax Nectar Sweets: Mix one scoop per 8 ounces of water or milk. For those with lower protein needs, one half scoop may consumed with 4 ounces of water or milk. Consume Nectar Sweets two to three times per day to satisfy your protein requirements. Remember the best times to supplementing protein are immediately upon rising in the morning, after intense physical activity such as weight training and prior to sleep.

Weigh In 8/12/09

2009-08-12T08:24:00.001-04:00

I lost another 2 pounds. It was a rough weekend for me. Food was everywhere I turned, so I did my best to avoid temptation. I ate a bit more, but in moderation. I am proud of myself.

Hale Farm & Village Civil War Reenactment 8/8/09

2009-08-09T20:20:00.007-04:00

Civil War Battlefield Tour 2009

2009-08-05T08:21:00.010-04:00

Cosmo at Fairport Harbor Dog Beach

2009-08-05T08:16:00.005-04:00

Drumroll please...........

2009-08-05T08:07:00.003-04:00

Two week weigh-in:

15 pounds lost!

New weight loss....

2009-07-31T10:12:00.001-04:00

10 pounds down!!!!

My FBS was 91 today, which is very good for me. Last night my BS before bedtime was 117. I took 45u of Lantus, no Humalog!

I upped my protein and and lowered my carb intake yesterday, so I think it may take a day or two for me to adjust.

I'll be at the gym today after work to do cardio only, as my arm muscles have not recovered. If I feel better, I may do ab and leg work.

Who ever reads my struggles here, please have some faith in me, as this is a long journey, and I didn't get fat overnight.

I have emailed a director at the Duke University Rice Diet Center and she advised I be in contact with my endocrinologist, and I have called her today and am awaiting answer.

One week weight loss total!

2009-07-29T09:31:00.002-04:00

7 pounds of flubber off my body!!!

Weight loss total...

2009-07-27T12:22:00.005-04:00

SIX POUNDS!!!!!!

Jumping for joy!!! My BP is down: 117/70, and my FBG is way down.

I went to Titans Gym (Mentor,OH) yesterday and has a mild workout, on the elliptical and also did a few weight resistant exercises, mostly ab work. I am planning an every-other day schedule. This was my first workout at Titans. I am shocked that there is not one employee who can assist me on the machines. I know there are instructions written on each machine, but no assist in how much weight or how many reps I need. All the clerk showed me was a dozen or so cards by personal trainers. I have no idea what they charge for one lesson. Being broke right now that may not be an option. I assumed that as a new member someone from the gym would give me a tour and show me what to do. I guess I'll have to do some research on-line.

Weight loss so far...........

2009-07-25T10:13:00.003-04:00

I started The Rice Diet on 7/22/09. Today, 7/25/09 I have lost 4 whole pounds. I am amazed. Yesterday I attended a workshop where they had a catered lunch. I ate the usual 3/4c brown rice and 2 fruits for breakfast. For lunch I had about 4 oz chicken breast, cooked green beans with almonds, a very small salad, and 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce. For dinner I had 3/4 cup brown rice, 12 cherries and a small banana. My FBG is way down and so are my before meal readings. Right now, my FBG at 10:20am is 140, which is good considering it has been very high for a long time. I have not had breakfast yet, nor any meds. My only problem is all the rice is a bit binding, and it is time to get out the fiber patrol.

Today will be a bit stressful as I an dealing with my daughter, so I will be careful not to self medicate with food.

I am planning to go to Titans gym today to sign up for a 3 month $99.00 plan, as that is all I can afford right now. It is their summer special, and hopefully it will give me a jump start to getting healthy.

2009 Civil War Battle Tour

2009-07-22T20:42:00.012-04:00

Cosmo at Fairport Harbor Dog Beach

2009-07-22T20:21:00.000-04:00

Lisa Takes on The Duke University Rice Diet

2009-07-22T19:27:00.006-04:00

News flash people....
I am getting nowhere with my current diet, (even though I did lose 5# on my vacation) so I am going back to basics. I dusted off my copies of the Duke University Rice Diet book, I have two different books, and cooked up rice last evening while refusing my friend's offer of a Margarita....that was hard! My friend from work, Lynn, whom I ran into at Marc's while shopping for rice and fruit, well I invited her over and gave her all the "illegal" food not allowed on the program.

I had a pressing medical issue so I had to visit the doctor today, needless to say, I'll start feeling better in a few days. I did not go to work today as I felt pretty uncomfortable, but that feeling should go away soon with modern medicine.

My BP was up a bit, as was my weight. I took my FBG this morning and it was up a bit, but after a late breakfast I felt better.

My diet for the day has been:
B: 2/3 cup rice and one banana, lots of water, ice tea
L: 2/3 cup rice, 12 cherries, 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce, water and a diet Pepsi (really verboten)
D: 2/3 cup rice, one small peach, 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce, and plenty of water

Now the program says only one day of the above diet, and then you add in more food for about a total of 1000 calories until you lose all your weight. One day a week is allowed for this regime. But, if I am careful, I can do 2-3 days a week, but I must carefully watch my insulin and check my blood sugar several time a day, which I will do. Notice; this is a no added salt diet. It is very restricted diet, but I have to take off the weight. I have a goal to lose 50 pounds by December 1st. I am in contact with my doctor about this as well, so I am not alone.

These are the sites where you can get further information. If I could afford to be a participant there, I'd go in a heartbeat. It is way too expensive for me and I highly doubt that Aetna would cover the program.

http://www.ricedietprogram.com
http://www.riceway.com

I have three books: "The Rice Diet Solution", "The Rice Died Cookbook", and "Heal Your Heart", all by the same author Kitty Gurkin Rosati, M.S., R.D., L.D.N., and her spouse, Robert Rosati, M.D. Dr. Rosati is the director of the program which has been in effect since1939.

I have to admit I was on this diet for one month 1988, August where I lost nearly 40 pounds in one month, but ended up in the ER with exhaustion. I think I weighed about 175# back then. It does work, but back then I had no health insurance, and thus no medical monitoring, which was real bad.

I'm too shy to post a current photo of myself, but may respond to an individual request.

Damn, I'm good!

2009-07-07T08:31:00.001-04:00

All is well, albeit my allergies are acting up and of course I forgot...again..to take my meds.

Cosmo is well and even with three other dogs in the area, he did his duty this morning and I was not late for work. Wonders never cease.

BF and I are going on vacation end of this week..will provide updates and pictures after the fact.

Cosmo will be in a board facility, but will be happy as it is a very nice place and he is just such a social dog.

All my tests came back in the "normal" range and I am plugging away at my diet and hope to live a very, very long life so that I can annoy as many people as possible.

I'm normal, well almost!

2009-06-09T08:31:00.003-04:00

My tests came back and I do not have Cushings Syndrome! That is a major relief, I was scared to no end. Now I can concentrate in getting healthy and losing weight, down 7 pounds so far. Happy dance!

Cosmo is well, stayed by my side all day yesterday while I had a monster of a headache and slept most of the day. I missed work, as I could barely see out of my eyes, not too good to drive a car as well.

Cosmo is my "little superhund"! He is able to move a large rug with his teeth to another room, over carpeting as well. I don't know how he accomplishes this feat, as I have never seen him do the trick, but he is a strong little bugger. Also, I see he can move the chair to my kitchen table just enough to hop on it and grab anything he wants, like my "instant glucose" liquid gel which he ate the entire tube. Every drop! Plus the label, which has gone missing. Now, I must be diligent as not to leave anything of value on my table. Buggers indeed!

Update

2009-06-07T21:49:00.002-04:00

I have lost six pounds so far. I absolutely have no appetite at all. This is a miracle drug, do take away my ravenous hunger pains, it is a true miracle. Only time will tell. So far my favorite snack: sugar free ice pops...in many flavors, I feel no guilt.

I meet with a registered dietitian via phone call later this week.

I even lost my cravings for chips, ice cream, Chinese food, but not Sushi. Anything with chocolate makes me gag.

I took my daughter to Longhorn steakhouse for a late lunch/early dinner. I had a small salad, mixed steamed veggies, plain ice tea, and a 6oz steak, and didn't finish all of the meal. She behaved the entire time. I let her have a spare DVD player and some movies.She admitted via a phone call that she took Zohan, and a few others, which I will reclaim later this week.

I know I can't live off of ice pops, but in this heat and humidity, they are refreshing.

Off to bed now, I have a 5am wake up.

Symlin the missing hormone.

2009-06-05T12:49:00.002-04:00

My new endocrinologist from The Cleveland Clinic has put me on a new medication to help me improve my Type II diabetes; SymlinPen; https://www.symlin.com/ an injectable hormone. This medication is something that a person with a normal pancreas produces. The hormone is called amylin. I am far from normal! So far I have been on the medication for two days and have seen a slight lowering of my BG readings and a decrease in my appetite. A side effect can be nausea, but I have none so far. I started out at the 60mcg dose yesterday and just have begun today at the 120mcg dose three times a day before my major meals: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I need to have at my meal at least 250 calories or 30 grams of carbs. That should not be too difficult for me to manage.

I believe it will take some time for major results. The good thing this medication does is that it makes me feel fuller at a meal, and I eat less, and snack less as well. That is a great miracle. But time will tell. I am still taking sliding scale amounts of Humalog ( 5u per 50 over 150, but if below I take 3u if over 80) and long acting Lantus at bedtime. I have not decreased any of those doses yet. I am hoping to decrease those amounts along with Lantus, but my FBG is till too high.

I am also grateful that I have health insurance as my pharmacy charges over $300.00 for a months supply (4 pens). I also but a box of needles as well. This is tier II and I pay $15.00 for each prescription. My plan is to switch to all pens, which will make my life more easier.

The other problem is that I have a major vitamin D defficiency. Normal range is 30-80, I have 17.5. So, I am taking 50,000IU of Vitamin D 3x a week for 3 months, and then 50,000IU once a week for probably the rest of my life. I am still awaiting the results of my tests to determine if I have Cushing's Syndrome.

Have not been able to update in a long while...

2009-06-02T19:25:00.002-04:00

I do apologize. Life got in the way and complications have arisen. My daughter is now living in a group home with people who have mental health issues. I have been unable to deal with her lately. She is out of control and will not listen to reason. This was the last chance, which she blew. I have tried and tried and have been unable to work things out. I nearly lost my job and my health has faultered. I am not equipped to handle her anymore. My family and BF are in agreement for her to live in a group home. She will never live with me anymore. That is the way it has to be.

I do not have cancer, in my "female" parts. That surgery went well and I am fully recovered. However I am being worked up at Cleveland Clinic for possible Cushing's Syndrome. How lovely! This is not what I need. It seems like I have all the "markers" for the disease. I am not feeling well, and I thought is was just extreme stress, but I guess I am wrong. I am undergoing tests right now, a salivary cortisol collection over two nights, and tonight is the last night. I did a 24 hour urine collection, which was just lovely, NOT! I have had more blood taken out of them than a vampire sucks...

I have seen a most excellent endocrinologist, actually three of them to be exact, and I go back tomorrow. Not looking forward to the visit. I have checked on what the treatments are and they don't look very pretty: surgery, radiation, chemo, drugs. I especially like the "gamma knife" surgery option, less invasive. Great, I can now glow in the night!

I promise I will update my blog as soon as I know more.

My JRT; Cosmo had his surgery last Tuesday. Yeppers, he got fixed! He is doing well and will be back at the dog park perhaps this coming Saturday.

Until then.

Cosmo and Shmooo at Mentor Dog Park 4/5/09

2009-04-05T18:31:00.005-04:00

What luck!

2009-03-30T13:32:00.001-04:00

Sometime after dinner, last Friday my refrigerator/freezer ceased to function. I had no idea until Saturday morning when I made a bowl of Rice Crispies. Warm milk, warm everything. I just went shopping and it was packed. Meat, fish, chicken, microwave meals, ect, ect, ect. Newly purchased milk, yogurt, butter, as well. All went into the dumpster. My dear daughter neglected to tell me anything until it was too late. I could have went out and bought ice to at least save something.

I really am not so wealthy I can just go out and buy more food. I was between paychecks, and the food money was already spent. I was only able to save very little food.

I live in an apartment complex and told them and a semi-new dented appliance was delivered within an hour. I was amazed, only one hour, as it took one month for them to fix my neighbors broken sink.

I called the office to thank them of the quick delivery of the new appliance, albeit dents and all. I also asked them if I would be reimbursed since all my new food spoiled, and the co-owner; Susan said she “will look into it”. I am not placing any bets here.

My nice red wool rug was also stained when the maintenance man failed to dump the drip pan and bad gunk was dripped all over the rug. Now, it needs to be cleaned and that will cost a lot of cash, which I do not have.

I was preparing for my surgery by having a stocked freezer of easy to prepare meals as I may not be able to cook and of course my daughter never helps at all with anything.

Now I have to start over.

I am totally scared of having surgery

2009-03-26T18:50:00.002-04:00

I will lose control, they can't use a local, must be a general. They have no idea if it is cancer, I am hoping for the best and preparing for the worst. Ovarian and cervical cancer is treatable if caught in time, but on the other hand can be deadly.

So if it is the big C, I'll need more surgery and probably chemotherapy. I'll lose my hair, I never liked my hair anyway. Hell, I can go goth or metal with all the wigs available. I have always wanted long thick hair!

I just want to go shopping now. That is how I feel better...shopping. Not the best thing to do, well besides eating chocolate.

I know when I have the initial surgery I'll need help in the home with my dog Cosmo, and my dearest daughter will have to step up to the plate. But I am having doubts and she is most laziest human I have ever known. She doesn't even have the ability to replace a roll of toilet paper, let alone wash dirty dishes. Her bedroom should be condemned by the health department.

I don't have the income to hire a helper, just to walk the dog. I have no one to help. I have a friend at work who will stop by, she is a nurse and I hope she can help me a bit.

Sometimes I wish I never became a mom.

Wonders Never Cease

2009-03-23T11:07:00.001-04:00

The Finish Line credit came through today!

Mentor Dog Park 3/15/09

2009-03-19T20:22:00.005-04:00

They took the shoes back!!!

2009-03-19T20:21:00.003-04:00

I had to go further up the chain to the VP who put me in contact with the district manager...

The shoes went back and a credit was applied to my card today. (supposedly)

Well, as of 3/22/09, no credit has shown up. Hummmmm....

I need your help!

2009-03-13T18:28:00.001-04:00

I called the Finish Line again today. 1-888-777-3949. I asked for "Valerie" at X5071. Guess what she is not the district manager like I was told. She is a CS rep who is out of the office until SUNDAY!

Finish Line had no intentions of calling me back within 48-72 hours! I was told there is not a district manager in the office. WTH???

The current cs rep would not let me talk to a supervisor at all.

She said I have to file another complaint. What happened to the original complaint???

I basically argued with the cs rep over the phone. She would not help at all.

My dear daughter is quite upset.

I am going to the consumerist.com now to see if they will help. I am very frustrated.

First contact with management:

Dear Mr. Marchetti,

My daughter bought a pair of high top tennis shoes about 1-2 weeks ago (2/28/09) at The Finish Line at Great Lakes Mall in Mentor, OH. She thought she would like them, she came home put them on again and didn't like them, had them on for about 5 minutes. Stayed in the home and on carpet the whole time.We took them back to get another pair today, however they had nothing in her size at all that she liked.

The store assistant manager would not accept a refund. He had a horrible grin on his face the whole time. He was mean and crude and extremely rude. He was practically laughing at both of us. I felt so embarrassed and worthless at his actions. Accused my DD of swearing, I thought my daughter was going to have a psychiatric meltdown. I get their catalog all the time and my DD did not see anything she liked. My DD, who is disabled was extremely upset. Upsetting a child like mine who has multiple mental health issues is not wise, trust me!

There was nothing wrong with these shoes. They are "Baby Phat" patent leather hi-tops. The minute you put the shoes on they crease. That is the nature of patent leather. I called the number on the back of the receipt to open up a complaint with a district manager. I was told I would receive a call in 1-3 business days.

UPDATE: as of 3/11/09 @ 1:06pm I have not received any calls from Finish Line's district manager.

UPDATE: as of 3/12/09 @ 10:45am, still no call from the district manager.

UPDATE: as of 3/13/09 @ 6:30pm, still no call from the district manager.

I called the Finish Line again today. 1-888-777-3949. I asked for "Valerie" at X5071. Guess what she is not the district manager like I was told. She is a CS rep who is out of the office until SUNDAY!

Finish Line had no intentions of calling me back within 48-72 hours! I was told there is not a district manager in the office. WTH???

The current cs rep would not let me talk to a supervisor at all.

She said I have to file another complaint. What happened to the original complaint???

I basically argued with the cs rep over the phone. She would not help at all.

My dear daughter is quite upset.

Management reply:

Ms. Scheer,

I am sorry to hear about the service you received in our Great Lakes store. I appreciate you bringing this to our attention. This is not the type of service we expect from our stores. I talked to the District Manager yesterday. He said the number he has is your work number. He tried calling it and left a message. He will be following up again tomorrow. If you have another number for him to contact you at, please let me know.

Mike Marchetti
Executive V.P. Store Operations
Finish Line
3308 N. Mitthoeffer Road
Indianapolis, IN 46235
(317) 899-1022

The district manager called me on 3/16/09 and I said I would return the shoes on 3/19/09, which I have done. I'm just waiting for the credit to show up.

Wait, wait, don't tell me!

2009-03-11T19:39:00.001-04:00

I'm on the show. It is a radio show played on NPR. I'll be on "Bluff the Listener" section. They give you three news item stories and you have to guess which one is for real. If you win, you get Carl Kasell on your answering machine recording. They tape me by phone tomorrow night, it is usually broadcast on the weekends. Here in Cleveland on Sunday afternoon. I was interviewed by a very nice person who asked me a bunch of questions, like hobbies, ect. I also mentioned I had a dog Cosmo and I blog. It is one of my favorite shows on the radio. OK, call me silly, but it is what I like. Listen as I try not to make too much of a fool out of myself!

http://www.npr.org/programs/waitwait/index.html

The Finish Line's sad customer service!

2009-03-11T13:00:00.004-04:00

I have posted this on http://creditboards.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=386210

My daughter bought a pair of high top tennis shoes about 1-2 weeks ago (2/28/09) at The Finish Line at Great Lakes Mall in Mentor, OH. She thought she would like them, she came home put them on again and didn't like them, had them on for about 5 minutes. Stayed in the home and on carpet the whole time.We took them back to get another pair today, however they had nothing in her size at all that she liked.

The store assistant manager would not accept a refund. He had a horrible grin on his face the whole time. He was mean and crude and extremely rude. He was practically laughing at both of us. I felt so embarrassed and worthless at his actions. Accused my DD of swearing, I thought my daughter was going to have a psychiatric meltdown. I get their catalog all the time and my DD did not see anything she liked. My DD, who is disabled was extremely upset. Upsetting a child like mine who has multiple mental health issues is not wise, trust me!

There was nothing wrong with these shoes. They are "Baby Phat" patent leather hi-tops. The minute you put the shoes on they crease. That is the nature of patent leather. I called the number on the back of the receipt to open up a complaint with a district manager. I was told I would receive a call in 1-3 business days.

I'm not holding my breath. I have lost faith in the corporate world. It is just all about the money.We went across the mall aisle to Foot Locker and told the manager what just transpired. We had her look at the shoes and she said that the shoes were in perfect condition to be sold, not used at all. Foot Locker does not carry that brand of shoe. My DD found a pair of Nikes that The Finish Line did not have and she bought them, the manager even threw in a pair of insoles for free. What a nice manager and very generous as well. As G-d is my witness, I will never, ever buy anything from The Finish Line.

My daughter is on SSI and is lucky to be able to afford new shoes. I have not been able to get her any shoes this year. The shoes with tax were about $50.00 and change. That is a lot of monery for her. She is so concerned about her looks and worries how others look at her, is a self esteem issue.What are my chances that Visa will side with me and/or a district manager will credit her account? It is a checking account that her SSI checks go to, I am the holder of the account as an authorized representative. The card was used as a credit card, not a debit card. NCB said to call Visa, which I did.I can't begin to tell you how much money I have spent at that store and on-line as well. Since I used a Visa to purchase the Finish Line shoes I called them when I returned home, but the CS rep told me that department does not open until 9am, and that is when I will call.

I know I can file a complaint to escalate this if nothing is done. There is http://www.planetfeedback.com/ and the Ohio AG, the BBB. I hope it does not come to that. I know to some that these shoes cost a lot of money and someone on SSI should not be buying shoes like these, but try to explain that to my DD who has multiple complex health issues.

ETA:
Have mercy on my soul, it is extremely difficult to shop for anything with my daughter!

UPDATE: as of 3/11/09 @ 1:06pm I have not received any calls from Finish Line's district manager.

UPDATE: as of 3/12/09 @ 10:45am, still no call from the district manager.

UPDATE: as of 3/13/09 @ 6:30pm, still no call from the district manager.

I'm sick.

2009-03-11T12:58:00.000-04:00

Due to my illness and upcoming surgery, I have abandoned my diet, but still am watching what I eat. I have lost a total of 12 pounds so far. I will have surgery in April and will be off of work for about one week. I just pray it is not cancer!

Goody Goody

2009-02-23T20:44:00.001-05:00

8 pounds have gone off of my body. Yea, I know it's mostly water, but it is 8 pounds gone. Nice job!

Weight Loss!!

2009-02-20T08:55:00.002-05:00

I was weak, I stepped on the scale this morning. Six pounds gone. I am doing the happy dance now!

I'm on a diet...either I lose weight or I drop dead!

2009-02-18T12:51:00.008-05:00

I started Monday, February 16th, 2009. It is my version on a PSMF diet, high protein shakes; whey and soy; (EAS and Trader Joe's, ON Gold Standard), meal bars, chicken and seafood, and very low carbs. I am eating something every 2-3 hours. I need to get back to the gym, but I need to wait another two weeks for my system to settle down and my BG to stabilize. I really wanted to go on the Cleveland Clinic PSMF program but my health insurance; Aetna would not approve. Never mind that I'm a diabetic on insulin and need to lose weight so I don't die and with a family history of CAD. They don't care. This isn't about cosmetics, it is about saving my life. So I'm doing this myself without the benefit of medical supervision. I am taking an Rx of potassium, 10meq a day. I am checking my blood glucose several times a day so I don't pass out. That is the hardest, as my finger tips really hurt! I have had to decrease my Lantus a bit, even since last night as my FBS was lower than normal. To be continued...

So far , today, this is wat I have consumed:
starting at 7am:

1 EAS vanilla whey protein shake, 120cal?, 23g protein, I think 2-3 carbs
3 hard boiled egg whites
16 oz water with Benefiber no sugar packett
1 EAS chocolate whey protein shake, as above
1 cup black tea, hot
1 diet Coke, 20oz (my weakness)
1 South Beach Living meal replacement bar; 140cal, 10g protein, 15g carbs
1 cup coffee, with stevia and powder coffee cream
1 16oz water with sugar free flavor packett
1 potassium tab; 10meq
1 enalapril, an ACE med; 10mg
1000mg Vit C in the first shake
1 EAS ready to drink shake

It is now 6:26pm and I am now home and will have to make a shake. I'll then watch the Nightly News with Brian Williams to find out how much the bail out will be costing me and the American taxpayers.

Monday, I was shaky and very hungry, I have food on the brain. Yesterday was a bit better, and today, I am not hungry. I am eating a lot of protein and I am trying to figure out how much protein I really need. I have been on several web sites and they conflict each other. One says I need one gram of protein per pound of body weight. That maybe a bit too much for me. If I have six shakes a day that is only 144g of protein per day, that is not enough. I know I need help, and I have no where to turn. I know I need help with this and have nowhere to turn. Is anyone out there?

My BF let me know as he is worried I will get really tired. I feel his concerns, as I probably am eating pretty unhealthy. I have energy now, but I feel not enough to work out at a gym. My FitWorks membership will expire in May, and I will not renew. I have found another gym (Titans), a real gym where true body builders go. I will check it out and see if they have a trial membership. They also have a juice bar attached. I don't want to sign a contract, as I do not know what the future holds for me. I was a total fool to join FitWorks.

I just wish I could have the monitoring at the Cleveland Clinic.Aetna keeps emailing me on the benefits for being healthy and keeping my diabetes in check, but they provide basically no support! I guess they would rather pay for a heart bypass surgery (name your disease here) instead of helping someone get healthy. Makes no sense to me as well.

Right now I am researching supplements that I may need to take. Besides the potassium, I take Omega-3 fish oil (really stinks), 2,400mg/a serving and total Omega-3's are 720mg. 1gr of Vit C crystals I dissolve in the shakes. I need a multi-vit and mineral tab, calcium, magnesium (I heard this is a very important mineral), and ALA, CLA. But, I don't know what to chose or how much to take. That is the huge problem.

I know probably three people read this blog, so if there is anyone out the who can help, please contact me.

News Flash

2009-01-16T18:25:00.002-05:00

I have been away much too long from my blog. I do apologize for my absence. I have been having a lot of problems with my daughter and she need to move out of my home. I have been most generous with the time frame and have given her 3.5 months. She is on SSI and has a part time job. Her idiot boyfriend brought illegal drugs (a huge amount of pot) into my home and I could have been arrested and lost my ability to keep my employment. I have called the police to my home several times as well as my BF who lives out of state. The police do absolutely nothing. Sure, they talk to her, but she is a psychopath and knows how to act in front of them. She is not only mentally ill but is homicidal and has made numerous threats to harm me. She went ballistic last night ( my friend was here to see this) and I was so upset and Cosmo was shaking and would not leave from under my bed. My friend is coming over tonight to try to work this out and we are trying to get her admitted to the local psychiatric hospital. Chelsea refuses to go. I fear for my life every time I go to sleep. I fear that she will put poison in my insulin and kill me. There is no where I can go as I won't leave Cosmo behind.

I am very grateful to a good friend from work, a nurse who has dealt with people who have severe mental illness, such as my daughter. She know how this is killing me.

On a good note.............

I have started to write a book. The working title is: The House on North Cadillac Drive.

I'm currently forming an outline and developing chapters. It is non-fiction and sort of autobiographical. My BF is very encouraged with my progress so far. Now all I need is a publisher willing to work work a new writer.

And, yes I spent my childhood years on North Cadillac Drive. I moved into the home in 1959 as a baby and moved out in 1971 to a house on the other side of the city.

The other news, I'm glad the US Air had no fatalities. I viewed that on the nightly news and was totally amazed at the landing in the Hudson River.

You Decide. Do YOU Need A Bailout?

2008-11-24T13:18:00.001-05:00

My answer on foxnews.com.
Comment by Cosmos Human
November 24th, 2008 at 1:14 pm
I wish I could bailout my parents. My mom is turning 74 next month and still has to work. She and my father who works as well; are exhausted. There are no “golden years” for them.

I work full time as a social worker and also support a disabled child. I didn’t ask to become a single parent and my daughter didn’t ask to become disabled.

I do the best I can with what I have. Many Americans do the same as well. We do our best to try to make good financial decisions and try to stay within our means. However, life happens and often throws up a curve ball. That is when diaster strikes and we aren’t prepared. At this moment I am trying to figure out how to save up a six month reserve in case I lose my job, and it’s not easy.

I’m far from being a big-shot zillion dollar executive or a corporation with zillions dollars in profits, make that losses…and our government is coming to rescue them.

I make a bad decision, I have to live with that decision and try to make the best of it, but an automaker or a bank repeats what I have done and our elected officials come running to their aid. Is that fair? Is that the right thing to do?

As a social worker I have seen things that should not be. I have been witness to such great poverty and despair, I have been in tears, as there have been so much suffering.

When will the government help its own citizens who have nothing, but mabe a little pride left?

The Invasion of the Mickey Mice

2008-11-17T13:55:00.004-05:00

As you can read here, mice have invaded my apartment, and really nothing is being done. So as a last resort I have filed a complaint with the health district. Later steps are court action and the media... This has become an intolerable living situation. My daughter is terrified to say the least. Now where is Carl Monday?

Dear Lake County General Health District,

Rodents have invaded my apartment. I have been complaining to the management and I feel that I am not being taken seriously and this hazardous and unhealthy condition has continued. I along with my disabled daughter do not deserve to live in these horrible conditions. I am so very afraid that mice will invade my bed while I sleep and my daughter is terrified of being bitten. I also have a puppy and am afraid of him being attacked or contracting a disease. I have purchased at my own expense as the management office did not have steel wool or duct tape to plug the holes in my kitchen where the rodents have been entering, to no avail, they still enter. Also I have purchased glue traps and did catch one rodent. Yet they still enter.

Management has sealed holes and cracks from the outside of the building and sealed under the cabinet adjacent to the gas stove. However, rodents are still entering my apartment. Every morning there are rodent dropping in the kitchen and in and on the gas stove. I have not been able to use the stove as it is a health hazard. I am physically unable to move the gas stove and refrigerator to assess the situation and clean. I was told by “Laura” the apartment clerk that management was to clean and assess the areas I just mentioned, and it has not been done. “Laura” also stated that I was to get a call back from “Doug” the manager last week, which did not occur. They have not hired a professional licensed exterminator. I do not at this time have funds to hire someone and I feel like I am being held hostage living here.

I have photographs of the rodent droppings. Maintenance was in my apartment on 11/13/08 to clean up droppings and place peanut butter on traps, which the mice ate and were not caught.

I and my daughter are becoming ill from this infestation both physically and psychologically. I am hoping the Lake County Health District can assist with this matter. I really don’t know what more I can do.

Midge gets her first collar

2008-11-08T22:15:00.002-05:00

HUNTSBURG, Ohio -- A very little dog had a very big day Thursday. Midge the drug dog is celebrating her first "collar."It all started with a break-in in Huntsburg in Geauga County. A deputy drove by a house near Hunt Road and noticed a car that didn't belong there.Two people emerged from the home carrying a big screen TV. As soon as they spotted the deputy, they dropped the TV and ran.The deputy called in reinforcements and the chase was on. The sheriff said the two suspects stole a couple of bikes but they were no match for Deputy Juanita Vetter. She was a high school track star and has trained for the Olympics.Vetter chased down Charles See Jr."His comment upon being apprehended, he says, 'That quote end quote is one tenacious broad. I thought I'd be able to outrun her,'" Sheriff Dan McClelland said. See's 16-year-old son was also arrested.Once they were in custody, it was time to search the car they'd been seen with, but it was packed with stolen tools, the sheriff said.A big dog was going to have difficulty getting in. For Midge, it was easy because she is an 8-pound Chihuahua-terrier mix.Midge is a fully trained as a drug dog for the Geauga County Sheriff's Department.She was able to go where the bigger K-9s couldn't, finding Vicodins hidden among all of the stolen goods, deputies said."One of our deputies summed it up best when it was all done. Basically he said, 'Don't come out here and break into our houses unless you want to pay the price,' the sheriff said.The 16-year-old son was released to his mother's custody. There was no immediate word on any charges.Charles See faces a variety of theft charges.Midge celebrated her third birthday Thursday.

Cosmo at the dog park 11/08/2008

2008-11-08T21:57:00.011-05:00

Found: shopping list

2008-11-01T18:26:00.006-04:00

I was at Marc's discount store here in Mentor on the Lake just this past hour buying the usual stuff for consumption and while replacing the shopping cart I came across this shopping list written on the inside of a pack of Dutch Masters Panetela cigars. I am making a big assumption here, it was compiled by a male. I'm not too sure of the prices posted here, as the Gillette razors have no price. Milk seems a bit too high. Two paper towels for $7.00?
I have seen books written by people who "find" things such as lists and write about them. That is not my goal at this time. I'm just looking for something to keep me out of trouble.

Cosmo's Halloween Photos

2008-11-01T18:23:00.005-04:00

Yngwie Malmsteen and Ripper Owens Cleveland Agora 10/18/08

2008-10-20T11:50:00.015-04:00

This was the best concert I have attended this year. Yngwie's shredding guitars and Ripper's ripping voice were a primo combination. Jim and I were in the front and center pressed up against the security barrier. We both came away with Yngwie's guitar picks. This was the first time I have seen Ripper live and it won't be the last. Although I still like IE, Jon Schaffer's band, well, they will never be the metal gods without Rippers voice. What was Jon thinking? Ripper even outshined Yngwie, could even be possible? The opening act, a metal band from Russia, and all I can say is their lead guitar and bassist were good. The vocalist was awful and was pained up like the "Joker" from Batman. I think is was a bad imitation of Insane Clown Posse.

Photography by Mark Gromen of BW & BK. http://www.bravewords.com/

Fort Ligonier Days, Ligonier PA 10/11/08

2008-10-13T21:11:00.015-04:00

But wait....there's more!

2008-10-05T21:08:00.005-04:00

Metallica: One

2008-10-03T21:50:00.002-04:00

Metallica: The Day That Never Comes -- Death Magnetic

2008-10-03T21:42:00.000-04:00

Jeff Dunham - Achmed the Dead Terrorist

2008-10-03T21:21:00.001-04:00

Tomatoes can help your prostate

2008-10-03T21:18:00.002-04:00

Find more videos like this on ConsimWorld

Still working on the photos from Iced Earth

2008-10-03T10:44:00.002-04:00

Plus, they look even better than the ones I posted below. You can see some of them on another site:

http://social.consimworld.com/photo/photo/slideshow?feed_url=http%3A%2F%2Fsocial.consimworld.com%2Fphoto%2Fphoto%2FslideshowFeedForContributor%3FscreenName%3Dap593pd86ozp&back_url=http%3A%2F%2Fsocial.consimworld.com%2Fprofiles%2Fprofile%2Fshow%3Fid%3DLisaScheer%26

It's a 100 pict photo show. View at your own discretion.

Iced Earth HOB Cleveland 09/30/08

2008-10-02T07:30:00.019-04:00

WOW is an understatement! This concert totally blew me away. I was up front against the security barrier just short of center stage. I'm still working on the pictures. The lighting was awesome as well as the sound. They played most of my favorites: Something Wicked, Second day at Gettysburg, Iced Earth, Dracula, I Walk Alone, Ten Thousand Strong, In Sacred Flames, Behold The Wicked Child, Hell, there's more. But, sad no encore, as I heard Matt Barlow wasn't feeling well...maybe not true, but when the lights came on, I knew. I'm still processing the concert in what's left of my mind.

There was an opening act, Saviour I believe was their name. They are metal, but need a better range in their vocal areas, but they were descent. They even encouraged a mosh pit to occur. hell, I was pushed a bit.

I also ran into a friend of mine from the Amon Amarth concert from last year. She was standing next to me in the front row. She told me she always sees the same people at metal concerts. She just returned from a metal festival in Germany. I probably should make plans to attend next year during my hopeful three week tour of Europe. IE didn't play in Pittsburgh, and it seemed half of the audience was from there. I was surprised that the venue wasn't sold out. IE is a very important metal band, they have been around a very long time. Jon Schaffer is a guitar God. Matt Barlow's vocals were very good and he seemed to hit some very high notes. He was sporting a new shaven head, sort of looked like Ripper. Brent Smedley was drumming and didn't stop, he was amazing. Troy Seele was on lead guitar and was right in front of me the entire concert and along with Freddie Vidales on the bass. I have no idea how they do it all. OK, I know I'm not the best writer and reviewer, hell, I'm trying.

I'm still working on this post...to be continued.

Did you lose any money?

2008-09-30T08:25:00.002-04:00

The DJ tanked 777 points yesterday. I probably lost a boatload of money. My hard earned 403(b) self directed retirement fund is in the crapper. I'll be working now until I'm dead.

Yesterday a good friend of mine took my daughter to the local community college to get a placement test for admissions. She scored in the highest college level English class, but didn't fare too well in math. She'll have to take beginning Algebra. She is going back next week to meet with a guidance person to see what courses maybe appropriate. Chelsea wants to major in anthropology, humanities, and the like. I told her she needs to focus on something that will get her a career. I know she likes vampires and mummies, maybe there is a career in that area!

Tonight I'll be going to the Cleveland HOB to see Iced Earth. I'm a huge fan and I paid for the "VIP" package @ $75.00. So I'll get a t-shirt, autographed items, and meet the band. The meet and greet happens after the concert. I wish I knew how many VIP package were sold. I'll be bringing my new Nikon. Doors open at 7pm. I found out they have valet parking. Downtown isn't too safe, so valet parking is useful. I'll be there at 7 as I want to be at stage center. I took tomorrow off as a vacation day, hell, I'll never make it to work at 8am. My daughter wants to go, but she needs a ticket. Ticketmaster has them, she just has to get herself up to the market to get one. She even likes their latest CD, which I am amazed, as she likes only a fraction of what I listen to.

I bought two tickets for Yngwie Malmsteen at the Cleveland Agora on 10/18/08. Tim "Ripper" Owens will be the lead vocals. I can't wait. Ripper is one of the few metal singers who gives me goose bumps. Even at my age...goose bumps! Ripper's bands: Brainicide, Winter's Bane, British Steel, Judas Priest, Iced Earth, Beyond Fear, and now Yngwie Malmsteen. My SO will be in attendance sharing the magic.

I stayed home from work today.

2008-09-24T19:54:00.002-04:00

I woke up with a terrific headache and sinus problem. I lost my voice. I sounded extremely horrible. I managed to call the boss and leave a VM message for her. I took Cosmo outside and he did his business. I slept another two hours and then walked Cosmo and fed him. We both went back to sleep and I awoke up at about 10am. I still feel like crap. I take another 2 Tylenol and my allergy pills. I think I took a double dose of allergy pills, I don't remember. The daughter is fast asleep until noon. I'm still pissed off at her. I eat a bowl of cereal, which I can't even taste. I try to go back to sleep and it lasts about 30 minutes. Then I wake up and take Cosmo out and then take a dive into the shower. The hot steam helps me a bit. I hope this is not a sinus infection since I am producing multi-colored junk. I even gross myself out.

I watched some TV, especially the Judge shows, I get a kick out of other people's troubles. Maybe because I have so many of my own that I can't handle. Or maybe some people are just too stupid, airing their own trouble on national TV.

It's now 8pm, and I don't even know what I did all day.

I just ate a zillion peppermint patties and drank 3 Labats

2008-09-23T20:57:00.002-04:00

I feel no guilt either. I am so stressed out now I could take a header out. My dear daughter has driven me to the breaking point now. I come home from work, totally exhausted and I ask her kindly to remove her food dishes from my room and to leave as I need to lie down on my bed. She screams at the top of her lungs, like a banshee out of hell. I just asked her to remove her dishes and go into the living room. Screaming at the top of her juvenile lungs. She refuses to move. I have had it.

I put the lead on Cosmo and I leave. I have a splitting headache from work, aunt Flo's here even though I am getting daily power surges and I am tired, very tired. She says she takes Cosmo out for walks, but I highly doubt that. Cosmo is always in his crate when I come home. My BF says puppies aren't any fun when they are crated up all day long. She did clean up his crate full of poo, but didn't take it to the dumpster, so the house stunk as well. This is sounding like a bad marriage on the verge of a bad divorce. Except she is my daughter.

She is out tonight with her Scooby-Doo BF and probably be home in the wee hours, and I hope I am fast asleep. She still does nothing in this house. No laundry, no dishes, no cleaning. She won't even clean up after herself in the bathroom! This place should be condemned.

I'm too old to run away and join the circus. I'm not just going to quit my job and leave, but that is what I have been thinking. I want to run far, far away and start my life over. Bit I can't. I'm too level headed and logical. What would Spock do?

It would be better if she would just move out, but she won't. I'm so tired of doing everything and to come home to a screaming banshee is just the breaking point for me. I'm tired of having to manage her multiple meds as she just can't remember, I'm tired of having to arrange her transportation to her mental health appointments which she frequently cancels. I'm tired of schlepping her everywhere and I'm tired of managing her finances.

I just feel like I am doomed until I drop dead.

I hate Mondays

2008-09-22T20:24:00.002-04:00

I had a very full day at work. I am really hating Mondays right now. I just spent an hour paying bills, cleaning up after dinner and Cosmo. I made delicious chicken breast and basmanti rice and green beans. Of course, I at alone with the dog. Again. My dearest daughter is at work and will call me at 10:00pm to come and collect her from her job. I was pretty busy at work as I have to triage intake calls for several hours today. That isn't one of my favorite tasks. We get a lot of strange calls and it's worse when there is a full moon. Because of confidentiality and I've sworn to secrecy, I can't tell you what I do or who I speak with. It's way too stealth, even my own daughter doesn't know what exactly I do at work. I need to change as I feel like I'm getting too predictable. That isn't good for me.

Cosmo destroyed another toy. The toy was made of fireman's hose and was made especially for the strong chewer. Yea, right. It was destroyed in no less than one hour. He ripped it open faster that Wall Street was given money to bail themselves out. It was that fast. I bought another Nylabone, the one made for lions. I am hoping that will last. Cosmo has the bite and strength of a pit bull. I have never had a pupster than can destroy toys so quickly. I'm just glad he doesn't go after my shoes. He stopped chewing up my bedding, so I am bit relieved. He gets plenty of walks and enough attention to choke a bird. Maybe its too much attention. Only the dog whisperer knows for sure. If anyone out there in dogland can come up with a toy that lasts please let me know. I'll buy stock in your company. I'm ready to write to a NASCAR driver for a used tire for Cosmo as a chew toy. Yes, I have seen the tire toys but he can destroy those in a heartbeat. There has to be a toy out there he can't totally destroy!

FedEx Smart Post?

2008-09-12T08:52:00.012-04:00

I ordered a medication from Drs. Foster and Smith (in Wisconsin) and they advertise "free shipping" with this brand of medicine, "Interceptor" a heartworm prevention taken once per month. I was clearly assured I would receive the med within 3-7 days via their "free shipping" services. I have done some interesting research on the collaboration between the USPS and FedEx. I also have read many entries from sad consumers who have tracked their packages across the USA while being "en route" to their destinations. One consumer saw their package in six states, in their own state twice, yet to be delivered. It seems this is a very cheap way to send merchandise weighing less than 70 pounds. I will continue to track and post the journey of my package in this entry.

I have contacted Drs. Foster and Smith to never ship anything to me via FedEx Smart Post. They told me I should receive my package within 7 business days.

Here are two links from sad consumers:

http://www.gearbits.com/archives/2007/07/fedex_smartpost_1.html

http://mindfulmusings.net/weblog/2006/10/17/fedex-smartpost-what-a-terrible-service/

The original Rx was mailed to the company on 9-4-08 and just received yesterday on 9/11/08. They don't accept consumer faxed Rx; only from the vet, who was hesitant to give me the Rx to begin with. At the vet the cost per pill is $6.00, from the company it is $3.65. This Rx mailed from Cleveland to Wisconsin. That's a very long time for the US mail. I just hope my Cosmo has no ill effects from the lack of the medicine. If I knew how poor the FedEx Smart Post was, I would have gladly paid for another shipping method.

This is an explanation for FedEx Smart Post:

http://fedex.com/us/smartpost/

I promise to update daily until the package arrives.

9/12/08. So far the package left Drs. Foster and Smith on 9/11/08.

UPDATES:

Date	Time	Description	Location
September 20, 2008	8:31 AM	Delivered	CLEVELAND,OH
September 19, 2008	11:21 PM	DC/EVS Arrive	CLEVELAND,OH
September 19, 2008	10:30 AM	USPS Entry	CARRIER SECTIONS, OH
September 19, 2008	2:35 AM	USPS Electronically Notified	CLEVELAND,OH
September 19, 2008	2:30 AM	Sortation Center Departure	LEETSDALE, PA
September 17, 2008	5:26 AM	Sortation Center Arrival	LEETSDALE, PA
September 16, 2008	9:43 AM	Sortation Center Departure	NEW BERLIN, WI
September 12, 2008	9:30 PM	Sortation Center Arrival	NEW BERLIN, WI

It's says delivered, but my office is closed on Saturdays!

I'm happy to say I received the package today at 9am. Cosmo took his pill when I arrived home and all lived happily ever after.