Drivers Ed

So H, as a pilot, has to go to ground school once a year and then to simulator training once a year. Basically he is being retrained or being offered a refresher.

The last time I had a refresher for driving a car, well let me think, um, yeah never!

Clearly no one else on the road has had one either. I swear in the last week I have been cut off, honked at for not turning left on red, honked at for not turning left into on coming traffic, honked at for stopping when the green arrow faded on a rainy evening in the dark - so as to not be in the middle of a huge intersection and yes, oncoming traffic. I have been yelled at for yielding to a pedestrian in a CROSSWALK and almost hit while walking my bike across the street in a CROSSWALK with a sign, that for the picture challenged means yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk. Google it.

I am the first to admit, I am not the best driver in the world. I took out the neighbors mailbox on 7-7-07 (search the blog, that was a crappy day for me.) I struggle with parking and backing up, I sometimes forget I am driving, so busy thinking about whatever idea is dancing in my head, but I also tend to error towards the side of safety. If I think I can make the left, I do and if not I wait. I am never in that big of a hurry as to endanger the lives of my kiddos or someone else.

I think you are more likely to get killed driving your car than flying an airliner, so why is it then that H has to do all the retraining and refresher classes, we get our drivers license at 16 or 17 years of age and that is it. Honestly I am astonished there aren't more accidents.

Saddle Up those Fish?

So I will admit it, I like to watch Top Chef on Bravo. I stayed up last night to watch the "all new" episode at 10 pm and wish I had not bothered. It was not that exciting and frankly all those chefs, who took fish, to cook in the back country on a Dude ranch need their heads examined.

Who eats fish in the desert? What cowboy, camping eats fish, other than the fish he or she catches?

Duh?

Part of being the Top of anything is, knowing what is appropriate. Is it any wonder the guy who won served some smoked meat with polenta. Well Boy Howdy, that sounds like camping food to me. Hello - we camped in an RV and I did not bring fish. I would have cooked some if we caught any, but taking fish and trying to keep it cool is nuts - in a desert.

I was under impressed by this episode. Just saying...

Gut Check

I had a great work out yesterday. I am back to the weight and percentage of body fat I had before I glutened myself at Easter. It has been a long battle back and has meant even more dietary changes and the addition of some probiotics and other supplements to balance my gut out.

I have had to give up eggs and coffee (for the most part) in addition to the long list of other don'ts. That said I feel better and the few times over the summer I willfully ate eggs, I felt like a MAC truck hit me, so needless to say, lesson learned, eggs are out.

My trainer wants me to think about seeing a holistic physician he has been talking with. I think, as much to test her as for my benefit. I told him I had no problem, giving her a spin, as my family doctor has very little to say on the matter, other than I am healthy. Well ok I am healthy, but when someone comes to you, somewhat suffering from self induced "food poisoning" the last thing they want to hear is that they are healthy.

I felt really strong yesterday and had a really solid workout. I have no doubt that these muscle testing test are accurate, because when I am not at my best, my upper body work out is for the birds, but now that I have detoxed and am feeling better, I could bench the bar for 3 sets of 15 and not almost kill myself.

I hope now I have found a balance and can continue to grow and build on my strength.

I have ruled out running any long distances, I just cannot eat enough to cover those additional calorie needs.

I have basically adopted a vegan diet with meat a few times a week. My gut seems most happy with that approach.

So it is Yoga, spinning and lifting.

For now.

Let them listen...

So today L went to the gym of her school and watched President Obama's speech. She went with her two friends, who are Chinese American. She reports that only three kids in her class went. She thought more had been given permission to go, but instead choose recess.

In her school distract parents had to write permission slips, in order for their children to be allowed to hear the President of their nation speak.

I made it L's choice and wrote the permission slip accordingly. It is a free country last time I checked and she is a citizen. The US grants citizenship based on physical place of birth, for the most part. She has a passport and has gone and voted with me in almost every election since birth.

I cannot believe the TA-DA over the entire speech thing. Since when is listening to the President of the United States, encouraging you to stay in school and do your homework subversive. It is a honor that the President took time out of his busy day to address the future business and social leaders of the United States.

I wonder how many of the parents who were so outraged over President Obama addressing the youngest citizens of this Nation allow their children to watch Britney Spears half naked on TV and take their children to High School Musical movies and the like. How many of them expose them to all the commercialism that is our society? I am not saying it is wrong, but I fail to see how those pursuits are any more or less harmful, than letting them hear their President speak.

It is not like Chairman Mao was speaking. (Which might have been entertaining, seeing as he is dead...)

H's mother hid in the cellar on a weekly basis in Nazi Germany. Hoping to avoid being carted off to a work camp at best or assaulted at worst as a young girl. Her crime, being Catholic and having a father who refused to join the party.

We live in a democratic society, founded on the principals of healthy debate and room for disagreement. I get that some people are unhappy we have an African American liberal democrat as a president, but you know what, tough SHIT. In less than four years there is a remedy for that. Get off your ass, run a better candidate and VOTE.

Did I bitch and moan about Bush, yep. Did I tell anyone they should not listen to him on television, nope! But I did rock the vote, put a sign in my yard and VOTED, when it was time!

All this bitching and moaning, sounds like sour grapes to me.

End of Summer?

A few weeks ago, the beginning of the school year spelled the end of summer. No more lazy evenings, lingering over dinner. No more unsettled days, ungoverned by the calendar.

Today, Labor Day, is often seen as the last day of summer. One last chance to go to the lake house, out on the boat, to the summer cabin in the wood or to the local community pool.

The official end of summer is September 20/21 with the Autumnal Equinox. By then in some parts of the country it will be well and truly cool and perhaps frosty.

This summer has been different than most. My birthday in peak summer, was cool and unseasonably pleasant. My cake did not melt. L's birthday was likewise cool and pleasant. I do not recall as pleasant a birthday since my summer spent in Germany.

In reality thought, I do not think seasons end exactly, I think they gradual fade. Flowing like water into the next season. I think they linger and morph, effortlessly one into the other. Easing back and surging forward. Whispers of what is to come and echos of what has been laid to rest.

Just as the tide comes and returns out, so do the seasons change.

Audience Particpation

Please take my survey. This is for my MBA Business Research class. You can copy and paste it in an email or copy it and paste it in the comments section of this blog. Thanks!

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Instructions

Please review the chart provided and answer the following questions, based only on the information provided in the paragraph and each chart.

AFLAC Accident Plan

The accident plan is designed to help cover the expenses associated with an accidental injury. Accidents range from food poisoning and sprained ankles to something more serious like a car accident. The plan pays money directly to you if you, your spouse or child has an injury. You can use this money for whatever you wish and it is paid even if your medical plan pays all of the doctor or hospital bills.

Employee	$ 12.05 per Bi-monthly paycheck
Employee + Child(ren)	$ 17.55 per Bi-monthly paycheck
Employee + Spouse	$ 16.15 per Bi-monthly paycheck
Employee + Spouse + Child(ren)	$ 21.65 per Bi-monthly paycheck

1)		Based upon the example above, I would rate AFLAC supplemental Accident plan insurance as:
	a.	A good value
	b.	A reasonable value
	c.	Not at all a value

2)		Based upon the example above, I would find the option of AFLAC supplemental Accident plan insurance:
	a.	As an attractive option in the benefits menu
	b.	As an interesting option in benefits menu
	c.	As no value in the benefits menu

3)		Based upon the information above, How likely would you be to purchase AFLAC supplemental accident insurance
	a.	Very Likely
	b.	Likely
	c.	Not at all likely

4)		Would knowing that AFLAC pays most claims within one business day make you:
	a.	more Likely to purchase a policy
	b.	Less likely to purchase a policy
	c.	Not at all likely to purchase a policy

5)		Purchasing an AFLAC accident supplemental policy would not impact the cost of your health insurance or its coverage. AFLAC supplemental insurance is additional insurance. Is having the option to purchase additional insurance something which adds value to the benefits menu available to you currently?
	a.	Very valuable
	b.	Somewhat valuable
	c.	Not valuable at all