Thursday, January 27, 2011

Sugar Detox: Part 1

After Halloween last year, I realized I had a major sugar problem. I do try to eat healthy, and limit my sugar. Imagine how surprised I would be if only I knew how much sugar I do consume. Especially on Halloween.

Let me explain: Halloween is my absolute free day, the day no calories are counted. No carbs are counted. No cookies are counted. The rule is, eat as much as you can. Sugar cookies, sausage balls, pumpkin pie, cheese ball, crackers, candy corn, macaroni salad. All foods are accepted and eaten (except sushi). If you don't like fudge, try this one anyway. Seriously, on the Lori consumption scale, Halloween trumps Thanksgiving every time.

So last Halloween, I followed the normal ritual. The end result was the worst migraine I have had in my life. Believe me, it was an achievement... err, maybe you wouldn't call it an achievement. Anyway it was up there at the tip of the scale.

So I get home, feeling ok. As the night goes on, however, my head begins to hurt. It's not that bad, so I don't take anything. Suddenly, within five minutes, I am so sick, I can hardly swallow a drink of water. Then the ibuprofen doesn't stay with me.

The wheels in my head begin turning at this point. It must have been the sugar and junk food, I decide. I immediately decide I am going to cut sugar out of my diet. Perhaps sugar is part of the reason for my life-long headaches?

To be continued...

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Computers: Unreliable Workers

   Computers are amazing. So amazing, that we cannot comprehend ever living without them. They do everything, are everything. Our activities begin and end, with computers involved in some part of the process.
When you go to the grocery, how are the items you buy inventoried? How does the cashier ring up your purchases?  When you buy your Christmas presents online, what are you using? When you have a burning question to which no one knows the answer, to where do you turn? What is on your desk at work? How do you look at your digital pictures? If you are reading this blog, I have no doubt that the answer to these questions, and others, has something to do with a computer.
That being said - have we come to rely on these scraps of metal and plastic too heavily? I have realized in recent months, more now than ever - I put too much faith in my computer. I have lost documents, deleted blogs,  searched for pictures, moved files… In short, my brain is so fried I could serve it up at Mom and Pop’s for dinner.
After many headaches, I have concluded that computers should be just as organized as a Tumbleweed Tiny House. I know people who achieve this organization by using backup hard drives and/or CD’s. I am not one of those people. Currently, mine is more like Ma and Pa Kettle’s kitchen pantry (you know the one where everything falls out as soon as the door is opened?) , but organization is my goal. Organization, and remembering to take the time to stop and smell the roses. You don't really need a computer for that (but it would help).
  

Monday, January 10, 2011

A New Year, New Blog

January. A new year, dusted-off resolutions, a fresh start.  This is the time of year we set our minds to be better people. This year, what are you giving up or resolving to do?

I’m not much of a person who makes New Years Resolutions. I know I’d break them, and besides, the entire year is filled with new projects and goals. But January seems to be a good place to make some new goals.

As you may have guessed, January brought me the idea of beginning a new blog. I bring no resolutions to write everyday. What I do write, I hope for it to be interesting. I hope for it to challenge you to look at life and claim it. I hope to bring you laughter, hope, new ideas, and a vigor for exploring the life around us. Perhaps I will even make you angry a time or two. At any rate, I hope to make you and I better informed and entertained than we were previously.