Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays To All!

Things are a little nuts around here this morning. Little Tank tore through his presents like a twister through a corn field. Toy parts scattered everywhere, wrapping paper hanging from the ceiling fan, and Transformer robot figures hiding behind every cushion.

It's been fun. We especially love watching the Disney Christmas Parade, despite all the overly blatant Disney product plugs.

Now comes the roast beast. And then I hope to grab a chance for a workout before we go visit friends this evening. Have to do something to justify the holiday eating frenzy.

Holiday Treats Weighing Me Down

Roast beef or turkey?
Lumpy gravy or thin?
Stuffing or potatoes?
Mincemeat pie or cherry cobbler?

"Oh look! There's another game on. I'll take this plate to go. To go to the couch anyway."

"Yea, last year we used paper plates for the party. Do you know those suckers bend in half if you put more than two scoops of Sara's macaroni and cheese on them?"

"Of course it's homemade!"

"Oh, it's low fat eggnog."

"Well, I see something green in the casserole, so it must be healthy."

"Joey, don't talk with your mouth full"

"Where's the butter?"

"Now ya'll eat up. We don't want any leftovers to worry about."

"I'll never eat cheesecake again."

"I'll run this off tomorrow."

"Man, it's true, turkey really does make you sleepy."

Free Market? Really?

This blog is not going to turn into the ramblings of a disillusioned believer in the Adam Smith school of economics. For you non-history buffs, Smith introduced the concept that free markets (i.e. non-regulated) are the most efficient way for economies to thrive. Smith didn't count on the domino effect that the demise of a bloated cornerstone of industry might cause.

Bank bailouts. Did anyone put a gun to the heads of the lenders when they made those questionable loans to questionable borrowers? Nope - it was business, and for the last few years, business was good.

Did anyone put a gun to the head of the borrowers when they accepted the terms of those loans, most of which entailed certain rate adjustments in the first 2-3 years of the loan? Rate adjustments that were, even at that the day they took out the loan, certain to substantially raise their monthly payments? Nope, they were just happy to get the house they thought they could never afford. And they were right.

Auto bailout? Let's give money to the most inefficient industry on the planet - the American car companies. Between the labor unions, pension commitments, and poor quality, it's going to take alot more than a check to save their future. Major restructuring has to happen.

So, in the end, we are creating one heck of a deficit burden. One that will likely dethrone America as the premier economic powerhouse. A status we've maintained for the last sixty+ years. Quite a legacy for the next generation.

Free market? Apparently not.

Winter Cold - My Once A Year Malady

Like clockwork I've developed my once a year Winter cold. Wake up one morning and my head feels like it's it's full of liquid lead. Tickle in the throat at night that leads to interminable coughing and a night spent tossing and turning on the couch. Think I've gone thru two boxes of tissue to deal with the sneezing.

I usually just fight through it on my own, using a homemade menu of Sudafed and steam, but as I'm in a period of heavy duty client facing meetings, I think maybe I'll hit the Doctor and see if some antibiotics might accelerate the exorcism process. I'm all into the healthy approach, and I don't think I've been on a prescription med in years, but I'm curious to see if modern science might ease my aggravation.

I'm actually halfway convinced the Doc is going to tell me it's allergies, as this once a year "cold" only hits at this time of year and has only been occurring since we moved to Texas. I've never had allergies of any type before, so that would be a real bummer.

I'm Hooked On These Online Network Television Archives

Was putzing around on the computer late last night after the wife and kiddo had gone to bed. Just another case of Friday night energy that seems to hit at the end of a long work week.

I ran out of productive things to do and when I reached the point where I was just aimlessly browsing the web, I decided to catch up with some old friends.

Pulled up my handy little online TV/Movies tuner and punched up a couple of episodes of Moonlighting (I love Bruce Willis in that show). Then I got really ambitious and started watching the first couple of episodes from the first season of 24. My wife and I only picked up on watching the series in season 3, so it might be fun to see how it all started.

You would not believe the amount of tv shows and movies (from old series like Gunsmoke to the newest episodes of current shows) that are available online. All for free! When I started looking into the online directories that came with the tuner software, I found episodes posted a day after network airing and movies that are still in the theater. Pretty wild.

Anyway, the software does a good job of consolidating all the online sources and presenting them in an easy to use interface. Well worth the one time charge to have access to all this current and past entertainment at your fingertips for immediate viewing or download.

Check it out here . I promise you, it beats buying DVDs of old shows or trying to search thru your cable channel guide to find something worth watching.

Just ordered some of this stuff...

Rushing out the door, but I did want to let ya'll know about this Vitager package. Did some research, and it's getting alot of good press based on results.

I just ordered some and will later post my thoughts on any effects.

Growing Old - It's Not A License To Lounge

We are cavemen. At least that's what our bodies think.

Goodbye To An Old Friend

My best friend is gone. Beringer came into my life way back in 1995 when I had just been thrown back into the bachelor pool. I've always been a dog lover, and acquiring a puppy at that stage of my life seemed infinitely appropriate.

We were inseparable and I have a lifetime's worth of memories of afternoon runs, chasing sea gulls on the beach and wrestling over the wettest, slimiest tennis balls you can imagine. For years it was just the two of us. And that was enough.

Eventually I married and Bear learned to accept sharing his house with others. But every evening when I got home, he'd be stretched out under the desk in my office waiting on me. It was his refuge from the craziness when things were a little too hectic.

I'm not going to go on about the last couple of years. About the onset of dysplasia and the pain he was in. About the devastation that diabetes rained down on him. Or the spiral he fell through the last few weeks.

I'm also not going to justify the decision I had to make with the usual "it was his time" or "he's in a better place", because as much as I know those to be true, I still feel guilty. I know that will change over time, and I know it had to be done, but I still look for him under my desk every time I'm in my office. And I still hear his bark when I see a squirrel run past my window.

Goodbye Bear - you were loved.

One final note. I was determined not to have Bear's final memories be of being carried into a car and carted off to the vet. Instead I was able to find an in-home euthanasia service run by a local vet. Bear was able to go out where he lived, and he took his final breath in his favorite spot - right under my desk.

Another Video That Just Needs No Introduction

Negative Calorie Foods

You hear alot about these so-called "negative calorie" foods that actually require more calories to process than they provide through consumption. "Lose weight by eating more" sounds really appealing to most people.

For example, if you consider water to be a food, then cold water is certainly a negative calorie food. It contains no calories at all and the body has to expend energy to bring it up to blood temperature. So every time we drink a glass of cold water we burn up a couple of calories and lose a little weight. But there are very few foods like this. Most foods that are on the list do not really use more calories than they add, or if they do, the effect is negligible ... until you factor in the body's ongoing need to expend calories (energy) just to stay alive. Celery for example does notprovide enough calories to cover both the energy that it takes to digest it, plus the energy that we expend even when we are doing nothing. So that is why people call it a negative calorie food.

A negative calorie diet is typically used in a fasting or detox plan and can provide a cleansing effect that greatly benefits the health of body and mind.

A list of negative calorie foods includes:

* Apples
* Asparagus
* Beets
* Blueberries
* Broccoli
* Cantaloupes
* Carrot
* Cauliflower
* Celery stalk
* Celery root
* Cranberries
* Cucumbers
* Eggplant
* Endives
* Garden cress
* Garlic
* Grapefruit
* Green beans
* Green cabbage
* Lamb's lettuce
* Lemons
* Lettuce
* Onions
* Papayas
* Pineapples
* Prunes
* Radishes
* Raspberries
* Spinach
* Strawberries
* Tangerines
* Tomatoes
* Turnips
* Zucchini


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What's On My iPod Workout Playlist?

So, what's in my recent Top Rated playlists? Well, as I've been doing alot of high intensity biking and such lately, it's mostly rock. Here are some sample songs that I keep in heavy rotation during workouts.

"Surrender" - Cheap Trick
"Nine Lives" - Def Leppard
"Welcome To The Jungle" - Guns 'N Roses
"All Fired Up" - Pat Benatar
"Sheena Is A Punk Rocker" - The Ramones
"So What" - Pink
"Ballroom Blitz" - Sweet
"Funplex" - The B52's
"Livin' On A Prayer" - Bon Jovi
"Call It Rock N Roll" - Great White
"Tear Me Down" - Meatloaf
"Teenagers" - My Chemical Romance
"Come On Feel The Noise" - Quiet Riot

It's an eclectic mix, but i have over 15,000 rock songs to choose from covering everything from 1960's surf guitar rock to 2008 funk and alt rock. iTunes rules, and I buy most what I have, but I will say that pretty much any music I want is available in the usenet groups. New releases are usually posted within a day. It's old school Internet, but it's all there in the mp3 groups. Comment to me if you need some tips. But do patronize iTunes and support the artists. The search functions and such of the iTunes Store are impressive.

Also. check out this article that provides sites where you can download rock and other types of music for your iPod playlists

Hooked On Green Tea Punch

Have you seen those bottles of green tea "juice" that all the grocery stores are stocking now? Both Lipton and Nestea offer everything from green tea, peach tea, diet green tea, etc. Not really sure what the true percentage content of the beneficial green tea is, but the drinks are good and make for a relatively healthy alternative to soda or other sugar laden concoctions.

I keep a stash in my fridge and take them to the gym to enjoy when I'm sweating to the oldies in the sauna after a good workout. Plus, I've **ahem** heard that they make a dandy mixer for the occasional rum punch.

For those more interested in getting the multiple benefits of green tea in a more traditional way, here's one of the sources I use to get the good stuff.

Alpha Lipoic Acid: This Anti-Aging Stuff Really Works

I'm putting an article together explaining the effects of Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA) for the main site, but also wanted to throw a blurb out here. I started using Alpha Lipoic Acid a couple of months ago. I discovered an article in the Well Being Journal about the supplement's strong antioxidant capabilities and decided to give it a try.

ALA is beneficial for individuals with a variety of conditions including diabetes, cholesterol issues, cardiovascular problems and a host of other symptoms typically associated with the aging process. ALA enhances the abilities of vitamin C and vitamin E, and is a powerful antioxidant that fights free radicals throughout the body, including the major organs such as the heart and brain.

ALA is used in medical programs designed to treat and detox the liver, and can actually work to regenerate tissue damaged from alcohol or medication damage. It protects the retina and lens of your eyes from degeneration, reverses the aging process in the cells of the brain, and helps to protect against brain deterioration as we age.

It's powerful antioxidant properties also contribute to healthy skin by removing the free radicals associated with sun damage.

After a couple of months on ALA, I have noticed that my skin, especially in the face, is much tighter and has a sort of healthy glow to it. Also, the tiny wrinkles under my eyes have decreased significantly since I began taking the supplement. Not sure why that is, but I assume it's an offshoot of the free radical control.

I have also noticed that the supplement has a strong overall detoxification effect.

I have an appointment to have my cholesterol checked this upcoming week, and I will then be able to comment on any changes that the supplement may have contributed to.

I tried GNC's brand of ALA, but found it to be too expensive for long term use. I shopped around and did my homework on customer reviews, etc and finally decided on a couple of reliable online sources.

All I can say is, give the supplement a try. The results for me have been pretty amazing. After doing some research on dosages, I've been taking the 200mg form three times a day. Do take it with food, as it can, due to its acidic content, upset an empty stomach.

Check out our recommended brands of Alpha Lipoic Acid here:



and here:

Official Launch

Site is still coming together, but we're up and running..

Press Release: New Fitness and Health Website For Men Looking To Live Longer

What A Stocking Stuffer!

Sometimes a video just speaks for itself...



I've already ordered a few of these for friends..

Check the 5-for-1 Beer Glass out here

Attitude Is Key!

Found this video and I think it speaks volumes about the relationship between attitude and physical health. Most men and women typically deal with high levels of stress in their lives, whether it be at work, home or both.

Men especially, starting at an early age, are taught to internalize stress. Showing emotions, such as anxiety or fear, is discouraged lest a boy be labeled a "crybaby". This bottling up continues into manhood where the effects begin to impact health and mental well being.

Pent up feelings accumulate over time and can manifest into harmful changes in the body, including heart irregularities, stomach disorders and neural deterioration.

The Latest Energy Pill Fad

There has been alot of discussion over the last several years on the purported benefits of the various energy kicker, fat burner and appetite suppressant supplements on the market.

Ephedra used to be the major ingredient in many of these products until it was outlawed by the FDA a couple of years ago. The law was later overturned, but most of the name brand health supplement stores (GNC, etc) will no longer stock ephedra-based products due to the liability risks.


I remember, ten or so years ago, when I would pop a couple of ephinedrine pills 30 minutes before a workout. I was cooking by the time I hit the gym. Took hours to come down from those effects and sometimes I would experience involuntary muscle twitches, so I could see how someone taking too much could lead to major issues.

Now the energy / diet pill market is populated by products made up of "natural" energy stimulants such as caffeine, guarana and ginseng.

Hoodia is a relatively new ingedient being sold in the energy pill category. Does it work? Check out the truth about the health benefits of Hoodia products here.

It's Been A Real Turkey Of A Year

The holiday season has arrived. On Thursday, families across America will be sitting down to a turkey (**insert favorite meat, fish, or composite bean loaf here**) dinner, clasping hands and giving thanks for all that has been bestowed upon us over this last 365 days.

Let's review what the last 365 days have brought:

- A 40% drop in the stock market (watch those 401k's wither)
- Massive layoffs and rising unemployment
- A foreign war that seems to just keep going and going
- Cataclysmic corporate failures in the banking, auto, and mortgage industries
- A complete failure in the free market system that has led to the biggest financial meltdown in our country's history.

At the national level, it's been a pretty rough year that has impacted families across America. The economic climate, in particular, has all of us worried and concerned about how we can ensure that our children grow up with the same or better opportunities than we've had.

Stress levels are through the roof as we struggle to adapt to the new realities that this recession has inflicted, including the debt burden we will leave to future generations after bailing out the companies whose survival seems to be required to hold our damaged economic system together. We call ourselves a free market economy - we're not.

I look at my son and wonder what kind of world he will grow up in. I think America's days as the world's preeminent superpower are done, and maybe that's not a bad thing. Like the typical neighborhood bully, we have tended to throw our weight around lately. And I'm a big believer in what goes around comes around.

I pray for leadership in Washington. I pray that saner minds recognize that partisan politics, regardless of which party is in the majority, will only perpetuate the stagnant and bloated body of government that runs this country.

I look at my son and I see tomorrow. I look at the evening news and I wonder what that tomorrow will be like.

I do know I want to be around to help him.

Men Living Longer

Shopping With Junior

Took the little guy to the mall yesterday to do some preliminary Christmas shopping for Mom. Wanted to beat the post-Thanksgiving crowds and maybe get the kid some face time with the resident Santa Claus. My wife spent last week in Atlanta visiting family, so Joey already had the formal Phipps Plaza visit with Santa, complete with VHS recording, etc - only $49.95! But we have taken him for the past 2 years, so we're getting some priceless memories at $49.95 a pop.

My sister-in-law has maintained a tape that has 13 years worth of Phipps Santa visits featuring their 4 kids. Really is priceless - until you try to sit through a viewing of all 13 years.

As for our mall trip yesterday, let's just say that we are no longer welcome in the Victoria's Secret store. Joey tried to wrestle a scantily clad mannequin, and while it sounds funny, I think most of the other customers were a little disturbed to see a grown man trying to chase down a two year old with a bra hanging across his head.

Welcome To My World

I'm a mid 40's first time father of a rambunctious two year old named Joey. When my wife became pregnant - and yes it was planned - I took a look at the calendar, did some quick mental math, and figured out that if I wanted to be able to keep up with my impending bundle of joy, I needed to make some improvements in my lifestyle.

I want to be able to play ball with him when he makes the high school team. I want to play with my future grandkids. And I want to be able to do it all without relying on a wheelchair, portable oxygen tank, or flash cards needed to remind me where I live or what my name is.

So, I've been making some healthy choices in my life. I've always been somewhat of a weekend athlete, but I knew I needed to get more consistent in my fitness regimen. Now I'm at the local Lifetime Fitness 4-5 times a week doing weights, cardio, and yoga. I'm also on a supplement routine that includes fish oils, red yeast rice extract (pills), and a good multi.

I've also come to be a big fan of acai.

Just wanted to start this blog to have a forum to share my experiences - the good, the bad, and the downright embarrassing. I'd also like to hear from others - especially men who've taken on fatherhood at a post-forty age.

More to come...