Back to school to biology class.....

This is a great educational video on why humans aren't designed to eat meat.  It is 1 hour, 18 minutes long but well-worth a listen. I need to re-listen as there is so much information presented.  I greatly respect the PCRM (Physicians' Committee for Responsible Medicine.)

https://www.drmcdougall.com/health/education/videos/free-electures/milton-mills-md/


PS...Happy Leap Day!

I never get tired of them

Something to remember on all my slacker days.....

BRC 100 runs group gets 2 new members

     BRC 100 runs group got 2 new members today....that's 2 years worth of runs plus a free shirt.  I am 3/4 of the way to 200 runs.  I wanted to post these pictures, though, because there aren't many photos of me that aren't terrible.
     Afterwards I did go buy a new pair of shoes.  I love doing that.

My sparkly new shoes, my dog can't wait to go try them out.

So this is why I save the books I have loved:

   

     I don't go back and re-read my favorites often.  As Heraclitus said,

“No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man.”

Snoopy van Gogh

I love, love, love this.

If people sat outside and looked at the stars each night…

1

CALVIN: If people sat outside and looked at the stars each night, I’ll bet they’d live a lot differently.
HOBBES: How so?
CALVIN: Well, when you look into infinity, you realize that there are more important things than what people do all day.
HOBBES: We spent our day looking under rocks in the creek.
CALVIN: I mean other people.

~ Bill Watterson, Calvin and Hobbes

Donald Trump

     Politics....a subject best normally avoided in polite company, but Donald Trump is just too scary to ignore. He is racist, sexist, hateful and ignorant, but because he has money, he doesn't care. We should.
     Here is a great article about why he is so bad for our country. Do his supporters even know what is coming out of his mouth or are they just too jaded to care?
     I'm not dissing the GOP, people,....just Donald Trump who does not represent Republican or Christian or even human values.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeremy-nix/an-open-letter-to-my-frie_2_b_9293694.html

Vole party-time

     One day later and my backyard looks beautiful again.  Of course, the voles are partying again under all that snow cover!

What a difference a day makes

Voles, what're you gonna do.

     I've had snow covering my back yard all winter until this past week.  The voles had a hey-day during that time and left me a big mess.  I always have some damage, but this year it is particularly bad.

 "Voles can make a mess of the lawn. Similar to mice, voles are small rodents that have shorter tails and legs and a stocky body. Voles like to feast on lush grass under the snow and leave a mess of tunnels and dead grass behind. They typically chew through the grass stems."

     It is going to snow again tonight and will at least look pretty again.  Snow hides a lot.

Be whoever you want to be

Sat. morning run/walk group---a diverse bunch of crazies.

This picture is from last Saturday. We were tip-toeing across patches of ice.  After an unnaturally warm but welcome week, we shouldn't have that problem today.

How much exercise is the right amount?

http://www.nytimes.com/subscriptions/Multiproduct/lp8QH64.html?articleId=1&WT.mc_id=2016-CPLTEST-FB-MC8-10

Good article.  It looks like a little over an hour a day is optimum.

LOL

     Bet I made you look up Pheidippides!

Sunrise peeking through

     It was even more beautiful....a vivid streak of gold....but by the time I got up the hill past the trees, this is what remained.  Still pretty, though.

It is a cupcake kind of day!

Happy Valentine's Day.

I miss you Dean.

The Rundead

     This video made my morning!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XH7W60V4X2E

Not-so-secret atomic tests: Why the photographic film industry knew what the American public didn’t

http://www.imaging-resource.com/news/2013/02/26/not-so-secret-atomic-bomb-tests-why-the-photographic-film-industry-knew

     This is a very interesting article that will surprise no one...our government is totally willing to expose its citizens to dangerous substances.  This article is about the fallout from nuclear testing.  The government let the film industry know about high radioactive fallout, but no one else.
     There is an atomic fallout exposure map at the end of the article.  North-east Nebraska, where I grew up, is in a high exposure area.

(Thank you Ben for bringing this article to my attention)

Turtle Motivation

Here is a recent article on climate change and the rise in sea-levels..

Goodbye New York, London, Rio, Cairo, Calcutta, Jakarta and Shanghai.  20% of the world's population will have to migrate away from the coasts.  Hello immigrants.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/sea-level-rise-could-last-twice-as-long-as-human-history/ar-BBpfrab?li=BBnbcA1


Knowledge is power.
             Francis Bacon

If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace.--Thomas Paine

     This is the prayer of every parent and grandparent.

Interesting health news day

Exercise may fight cancer tumors directly....
http://www.runnersworld.com/health/exercise-fights-cancer-tumors-directly?cid=soc_Runner%27s%20World%20-%20RunnersWorld_FBPAGE_Runner%E2%80%99s%20World__Health

     I found this interesting because an acquaintance of mine is considering undergoing hyperbaric treatments to increase oxygenation to his cancer. I did not know that “When a tumor lacks oxygen, it releases just about every growth factor you can think of, which often results in metastasis.”
     



America's epidemic of overkill with medical treatments.....This is a long article from The New Yorker magazine, but worth your time as a consumer, to read and absorb.  Do your research, get 2nd and 3rd opinions, and question, question, question, always.
http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/05/11/overkill-atul-gawande



Enjoy the SuperBowl today if you are watching.  It will stream live on CBS so I'll be watching it, too.  I plan on making fresh guac. and baked corn chips this afternoon. Yay.

When one person stands up and says, "wait a minute--this is wrong", it helps other people to do the same. Gloria Steinem

   Happy weekend.

Dragons and monsters

                                                                                  The Oatmeal

                                                                                The Oatmeal
                                                                         

     I love fairy tales. I recently read Cary Elwes' book, "As you wish: Inconceivable Tales from the making of the Princess Bride."  That led to re-watching the movie.  I am now reading William Goldman's book, "The Princess Bride."
     You can't get enough of a great fairy tale.  That must be why I loved "Into the Woods" so much.  I listen to the soundtrack of the Broadway version all the time.
      I just started reading, "Level up your Life: how to unlock adventure and happiness by becoming the hero of your own story" by Steve Kamb.  He proposes making your life a game, going on quests, earning experience points, and becoming your own super-hero. As I said, I just began the book, and I'm usually not into self-help books, but so far this is a good read.  He suggests we should all get out of our "hobbit holes."



“Never laugh at live dragons.” 
― J.R.R. Tolkien



“It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to.” 
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings



“What do you fear, lady?" [Aragorn] asked. 
"A cage," [Éowyn] said. "To stay behind bars, until use and old age accept them, and all chance of doing great deeds is gone beyond recall or desire.” 
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King



“No more rhymes now I mean it!”

“Anybody want a peanut?” 

“AAHH!” 
― William Goldman, The Princess Bride
   

My favorite children's book.....

I could....if they would find a cure.

     On FaceBook I follow the posts of a young woman with Muscular Dystrophy.  4 years ago she started walking races and got up to walking a half marathon using her walker.  Her health deteriorated and her running friends started pushing her in a running chair so she could continue competing in races.  Her health is deteriorating rapidly now and she has recently been in the hospital frequently, and has even talked about choosing hospice when the time is right.  She is only 23 but continues to be a huge inspiration.  She is building a legacy of strength.
     On her most recent video she played this song, which I love.  Mattie Stepanek wrote the lyrics, if you remember him.  He was an amazing child and wrote a number of books of poetry, which I own.  He was often featured on "Oprah."  Here is the song...."I could....if they would" by Billy Gilman.

                                             Have tissues nearby.



     The sun is shining.  The temps are in the single digits with a wind chill factor of minus 3, but my poor doggie hasn't gotten a decent walk in days, so we will give it a go.  I haven't gotten my mail this week, either, so will at least walk that far.

Feeling proud and accomplished.

It may not look like much, but represents 3 hours of me scooping heavy wet snow.  It will probably blow closed overnight, but it looks good for now!

There was a song stuck in my head the whole time.  Instead of "2 hours of pushing broom," substitute "3 hours of scooping snow."  That makes me "King of the Road." Just how do those songs from childhood pop into our minds? Are you hearing Roger Miller yet?

Trailer for sale or rent, rooms to let, fifty cents.
No phone, no pool, no pets, I ain't got no cigarettes
Ah, but, two hours of pushin' broom
Buys an eight by twelve four-bit room
I'm a man of means by no means, king of the road.

Third boxcar, midnight train, destination, Bangor, Maine.
Old worn out clothes and shoes,
I don't pay no union dues,
I smoke old stogies I have found short, but not too big around
I'm a man of means by no means, king of the road.

I know every engineer on every train
All of their children, and all of their names
And every handout in every town
And every lock that ain't locked, when no one's around.

I sing, trailers for sale or rent, rooms to let, fifty cents
No phone, no pool, no pets, I ain't got no cigarettes
Ah, but, two hours of pushin' broom
Buys an eight by twelve four-bit room
I'm a man of means by no means, king of the road.

When you have more than you need, build a bigger table- not a higher fence.

     I love the above quote.
 
     I hope you are doing well in the blizzard.  I've gotten maybe 14 inches of snow so far at my house. It is knee-deep, and more is still coming down.  I had to scoop a path out back just to get the dog out. Driveway and walkways will have to wait until the snow stops, but it will be windy with minus 3 wind-chill tomorrow, so maybe it will have to wait a couple of days.  I am very fortunate to not have to drive anywhere.  It looks like all of my neighbors are staying in, as well.  There are no tire-tracks in sight.
   
     Stay safe and warm everyone.

     By the way, today is my 5 year runiversary.  I began running/jogging again 5 years ago today.  It is hard to keep up in this weather, so I am doing the very minimum, but at least I am doing that.