Forbidin 50s the Workout!

Here is a another great Looks Better Nekkid workout for you guys to try. I did it yesterday and it was KILLER. Now you are supposed to do this workout for time as fast as you can. I did not feel like killing myself so i just did it to finish as fast as I could stopping short of death. Do it for success so break up the activities and do 20, 20, and 10 through or do the 50 before you move onto the next set how ever you want just get it done.

This workout is from Crossfit.com and was posted on December 10, 2010
50 Box jump, 24 inch box
50 Jumping pull-ups
50 Kettlebell swings, 1 pood (35lb dumbbell works too)
Walking Lunge, 50 steps
50 Knees to elbows
50 Push press, 45 pounds
50 Back extensions
50 Wall ball shots, 20 pound ball
50 Burpees (HATE THESE SO MUCH)
50 Double unders (only did 20 and then just skipped for 10 mins)

Working out is about getting and feeling stronger. If the that is happening than the Looking Better Nekkid will come and DAMN if you do this one and mix it up with your normal work out this will bust through plateaus and shock you body into something new and exciting.

Give it a try and let me know what you think.

40 Tips for a Better Life in 2011!

1. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day, and while you walk, smile. It is the ultimate antidepressant.
2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day. I like to take this 10 minutes (sadly sometimes just 5 minutes if pressed for time) to think of everything that is going RIGHT and not wrong and to give thanks for what I do have...so many people have it worse.
3. Buy a DVR and record your late night shows and get more sleep.
4. When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement, “My purpose is to _______ today.”
5. Live with the 3 E’s – Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy.
6. Play more games and read more books than you did in 2010.
7. Make time to practice meditation and prayer. They provide us with daily fuel for our busy lives.
8. Spend time with people over the age of 70 and under the age of six. There is so much wisdom to learn from people in their 60's, 70's, 80's --take some time to take it all in. As far as kids go...try to remember what it was like to find everything so exciting and so new. We can learn a lot from kids!
9. Dream more while you are awake.
10. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants. Eat less food that is manufactured in plants!
11. Drink green tea and plenty of water.
12. Try to make at least 3 people smile each day.
13. Clean clutter from your house, your car, your desk, and let new and flowing energy into your life.
14. Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip, or issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
15. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
16. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out credit card.
17. Smile and laugh more. It will keep the NEGATIVE BLUES away.
18. Life isn’t fair, but it’s still good.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
20. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
21. You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
22. Make peace with your past so it won’t spoil the present.
23. Don’t compare your life to others’. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
24. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
25. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: “In five years, will this matter?”
26. Forgive everyone for everything.
27. What other people think of you is none of your business.
28. Ask, Believe, Receive. (And it WILL happen!)
29. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
30. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
31. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful, or joyful.
32. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
33. The best is yet to come.
34. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up, and show up.
35. Do the right thing!
36. Call your family often.. (Or email them to death!)
37. Each night before you go to bed, complete the following statements: “I am thankful for _________________. Today I accomplished _______________.
38. Remember you are too blessed to be stressed.
39. Enjoy the ride. Remember this is not Disney World and you certainly don’t want a fast pass. You only have one ride through life so make the most of it and enjoy the ride.
40. May your troubles be less, May your blessings be more, May nothing but happiness come through your door! It just doesn't happen though on it's own YOU NEED to stop thinking negative thoughts and focus on wishing good things in your lives and everyone around you!

WORKOUT! Looks Better Nekkid at home and at the Gym!

Here is a great workout that you can do at home or at the Gym. This comes from Scott at ScottHermanFitness.com. He also has a great YouTube channel. Link and video of the workout below but here is a summary of the workout.

It is a Core dominate workout. If you are doing this workout at home all you need is a Pillow. If you are doing this workout at the gym a matt that you can fold over itself and a barbell as an option.

Do these 10 exercises in a row 12 - 15 reps and repeat for 3 sets

1. Alternating Tow touch (setting 1) - keep the legs straight raise one up and touch with both hand and then alternate legs crunching up each leg raise.

2. Alternation Tow touch (setting 2) - same as setting 1 but double over the pillow and fold the matt over a few times and place it under your lower back. It will increase the flection of your trunk, increase range of motion thus increasing work done.

3. Over Head Squats - arms are straight over head while you squat just like normal trying to get as low as you can. At the gym you can use a bar, at home use a pillow

4. Left turn / Right Turn (setting 1) - lay on your side grab an imaginary steering wheel in front of you. As you turn the wheel to the left raise you torso to the left. Trying to get the Rib cage and the hip on the left side to touch. Same to the right.

5. Left turn / Right turn (setting 2) - same idea as setting 2 for tow touches

6. Spider Man push ups - as you lower yourself to the ground bring one knee to the bent elbow raise up and replace leg to starting position. Next rep switch legs.

7. Standard Crunches - pull the belly button down as you raise you shoulder blades off the matt

8. Get ups - roll back to the shoulders as you roll forward generate some momentum and kick up your legs to your butt to stand up. Swing you arms if you need for assistance.

9. Single Leg get ups - Same as above but with one leg. Do all with the left then switch to the right. Much harder the both legs

10. Circle Crunch - Trace a semi circle one direction then the other as you raise your torso off the matt.

Turn hating into APPRICIATION! The Shift

The last entries were about hate.  It was a hard post to write but we all need to be aware of the things that are still happening in our world today. 

Now for the next step . . . In order to move forward we need to think and remember the positive things.  Hate spreads like a disease so why cannot we change that and spread happy all over the place!  Here are a few things that bring me Joy. 

1. My friends and family – Really it is just that.  They make me laugh they make me cry.  There are there when you need them, they are there when you do not. 

2. Jamming with my iPod – Because and I dance and feel like no one is watching.  My love of the musical arts can be enjoy anywhere I go. 

3. My BlackBerry – It is a great tool to keep my life organized.  Keeps me up to date.  Helps me when I am lost, never talks back AND help me stay in communication with the friends and the family. 

4. My Pets – They are always happy, they never  judge.  They do not care what happened that morning or the day at work.  They are always up for something when everyone else is busy or lazy.  They are always ready for a cuddle when staying at home under a blanket with a movie is required. 

5. A hot and sunny day – the smell of the earth warming the air.  The brightness and richness of colours for the shining raise of sun beaming into everything.  The warmness of the air on your skin.  People outside having fun enjoying the world we live in going back to nature.  There is nothing like it. 

6. Tempo on CBC Radio 2 – My daily douse of the greats.  Hosted by Julie Nesrallah, Canadian mezzo-soprano, guides us through all the classical delights from 9:00 until 1:00 every week day.  It is amazing what thoughts and emotions this music can manifest (even if you are a robot or say that you have no heart)

7. Tea – This was started with my Nana and her British ways of tea time.  Now I love it.  Tea is so warming and comforting.  So many styles, flavours and traditions to explore in every cup. 

8. HOT people! – Be it celebrities, athletes, or Models hot people make me happy.  I was going to try and narrow it down but there are just to many people that I think are hot inside and out.  Call me shallow but makes me happy. 

9. Soup – A day without soup is like a day without sunshine to me.  You can miss a day without the sun but it is not as bright or warm as with sun.  For me it is the same with soup. 

What brightens your day or keeps you going when the going gets tough?  Write a couple things in the comments box. 

HateEffects! Part 3 of 3

To view Part 1 click here

to view part 2 click here

Andrew Shirvell, a Michigan Assistant Attorney General set up a hate blog against student body presented of Michigan State University. Chris Armstrong was elected by his fellow student as the Student Body President. Shortly after Armstrong was elected Shirvell started the hate blog and admitting to following, and tracking facebook comments of Armstrong and his friends and family. Shirvell has a restraining order against him from the Michigan State University. Armstrong is a 21 year old kid wanting better things to happen at his college, the reason why he is getting so much attention because Armstrong is gay. Shirvell, an “adult” has been attacking his putting Nazi swastikas on pictures of Armstrong, videotaping his house and following him around. Another elected to office that supports the people of his state. Can you by day support people that live in your state and by night attack them to their core. Shirvell saying that he is doing God’s work because Armstrong is Satin’s representative on the student body. Shirvell is “hating” on the persons of Michigan that he was elected by to represent.

What is worse is that Andrew Shirvell’s boss Mike Cox, State of Michigan Attorney General, has allowed Shirvell to continue his actions. It is not enough that Shirvell has been on a big hate campaign and his boss Mike Cox is allow hate to infect his employee, and his office, and will continue to spread. This is not the conduct of an elected office in our society.

I wish Chris Armstrong great safety and strength for this situation and a quick resolution so that he can live the life he wants and not be bullied by Shirvell.

In the last bit of McCance’s attack and in Shirvell’s attack they mention their Christian Beliefs, as many Christian protesters and organizations do against those persons that are different, as a justification and permission for their actions and comments of hate. More of this hate comes out with the argument of legalizing gay marriage. Some believe that it will end the sanctity of marriage. Let us just do a quick review; greater than 50% of marriages end in divorce, that is only heterosexual marriage since homosexual unions are not legal and thus not recorded and not part of that statistic. How can the assertion of love between two people be ending the sanctity of marriage? Maybe divorce is the destruction of the sacred belief of marriage. Divorce means just that, the declaration of dissolving or ending a marriage. People are allowed to get divorced and that is fine cause that is not the problem with marriage…the gays are.

This goes against anything that I have learned as a Christian. I do not believe that in my relationship with God and his son Jesus Christ that they would hate like that. It saddens me that I may be grouped with these people as a person against myself. It is also disappointing that the Church saying it will support its people may actually leave them for dead as according to Andrew Shirvell and Clint McCane. I really truly challenge that these people are Christians and have actually read the Bible and know what it teaches.

Here are some comment from another Blog written by Levi Poulter about the Church and Christian beliefs, he put it brilliantly (you can find the whole blog at http://www.miamilevi.com/blog under the FUCKING LOSERS! Post on October 29, 2010),

“Like so many Christians let’s ask ourselves…what would Jesus do? Push someone to the breaking point of taking one’s own life???  Another question I will answer for you…NO…he wouldn’t.  He would put his arm around them and shield them from harm and tell them they are loved.”

In the Bible it says, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking. It is not easily angered, it keeps no record or wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” (1 Corinthians 13: 4 – 7)

“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born from adversity.” (Proverbs 17:17)

“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Great love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15: 12 – 13)

“Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbour as yourself. I am LORD” (Leviticus 19:18)

Those do not seem to be the words of a God that wants it people to hate and judge. A sin is a sin so it does not make you a better person just because you are calling yourself a Christian. Action speaks louder than words. Christianity is an act of love, peace and support both inside and out, it is not a judgement. Whether you are Christian, Buddhist, Jewish, Kabbalah, or what every you belief in there is not

I do use a lot of sexuality examples but it is not a gay problem it is a hate problem in these backwards times we live in.

Why are people like this?

Why do people do this?

What are they thinking that justifies their hate actions?

In the last couple of years there has been main babies coming into my life with Family and friends starting families of their own. Spending time with them and their young kids it is hard to believe that we has humans are capable of hate. They are always happy and when their world comes to fall down they get over it very quickly and move on to being happy again. It makes me wonder and pretty sure that we are not born with the capacity to hate. It does not seem to be party of human survival to hate. Does that mean the hate is learned? Where do we get hate from? These kids would not know if parents. Are we passing hate onto the next Generation? These kids are learning from the examples (or lack thereof) of their parents or guardians.

In general we really are all the same. We as people are all from the same basic design with some variations of course. We all have a cranium that houses a brain. We all two arms and two legs, which has one hand and one foot on each limb respectively. Some of us have are male and some of us are female. We all have flesh and blood. There are degrees of variation in skin color, height, width, and weight. Does that make each of us really that different? If that is the case than hate for others is hate of ourselves.

Are there no better places that we as a species can better spend our time and energy? It takes energy to hate. Hate does not move us forward. We do not gain anything from hate. Hate does not cure cancer or hunger, hates does not help the sick or poverty. Hate does not bring peace; it is not loving or caring.

Remember that every minute of hate and anger we harbour is sixty seconds of joy, happiness, and laughter we will never experience. 

HateEffects! Part 2 of 3

For part 1 click here

More examples of the effects of hate can be remembered on October 12^th 1998. Matthew Wayne Sheppard was brutally beating and murdered because he was homosexual. After finding out Shepard was gay two men, Russell Henderson and Aaron McKinney, robbed and beat Shepard and then left him to die tied to a fence in a remote rural area. People just do not set out to do things to people. Hate involves action and doing. This was nothing but an act of pure hate for a fellow human being that was a little different than they were. This case brought hate crimes to the forefront of legislation for many nations.

Suicide did not kill five gay teens, hate did. Tyler Clementi (19 years old), Asher Brown (13 years old), Seth Walsh (13 years old), Billy Lucas (15 years old) Zach Harrington (19 years old) ended their lives’ because of bullying. I can understand what was going through these kids head. From grade four to grade eleven a day would hardly go by without someone or several people say something while walking to my next class. I was scared to walk through the hallway or be in the library. The only safe place was in the class room during class time. It was a race to more from room to room and get out of school at the end of the day. Teachers would duck their heads and walk away while fellow students said something degrading or derogatory. These kids were constantly badgered and intimidated by others day by day by day. Do you know what it is like to be constantly antagonized, intimidated, tortured, and threatened at you school where it is supposed to be a safe supportive learning environment? I do and it is terrible, scary, and heartbreaking.

Right where we think that these kids have support we find out that they may not. To raise awareness and support for young kids thinking about suicide we all wore purple on October 20^th for Sprit day. A Midland school district member, Clint McCance posted very publicly on facebook his hate for the fact that we were to wear purple in member of these kids. Everywhere else school are taking actions against bullying but not McCance. On his own facebook page, McCance wrote (his words and his spelling),

"Seriously they want me to wear purple because five queers killed themselves. The only way im wearin it for them is if they all commit suicide. I cant believe the people of this world have gotten this stupid. We are honoring the fact that they sinned and killed thereselves because of their sin. REALLY PEOPLE."

In response to another challenge, McCance replied,

"I would disown my kids they were gay. They will not be welcome at my home or in my vicinity. I will absolutely run them off. Of course my kids will know better. My kids will have solid Christian beliefs."

These are some of the words of someone that is an elected official that may have been responsible for the goings on in YOUR child’s school. McCance later appeared on Anderson Cooper 360 to talk with Anderson about his words. McCance apologized without apologizing; it was a non apology apology. This was best said by Dr. Phil McGrew the next day while he and Cooper talked. There is a difference between opinion and attack on persons that are different. McCance attacked children, these kids are dead and he attacked them and their memory on his facebook page. The words McCance support hate and support kids killing themselves, supports suicide. From his words he supports the death and killing of children.

HateEffects! Part 1 of 3

There is something that has been plague our world for a long time. Just when we think that it is under control it surfaces again, hate. Hate spreads like wild fire. It cascades through our society like a deadly virus infecting people and causing harm to others. If unchecked it can consume people, after all it has ended lives. Recent event, over the last two months, have show that hate is rampant infecting our school where children play and learn, and in our governments where the future of our nation is decided and our freedoms are defended. If hate was classified as a disease it would be a pandemic. We, the whole of humanity, need to start paying attention to what we are doing. We need to help those that do not have a voice or that their voices have been forcibly silenced and give them and others the power to dissolve and eliminate hate.

Don’t ask don’t tell (DADT) is become synonymous with people in the armed forces in the United States and all of North America. This policy was started in the 1990’s to stop the attention of homosexuals serving their nations. As long as no know asked a soldier what their sexual orientation is, it does not matter whether one is heterosexual or homosexual. However if asked (or accused in many cases) then the soldier much resign their commission or be discharged. Some National leaders and Politicians felt that homosexuals would either be distracted because they would be in such close guarders with members of the same sex, or no tough enough for combat. If someone is not tough enough I am certain that they would not even sign up for service, in Canada and United States there is no conscription at this time, so signing up with the armed forces is a choice. If people choose to service their nation and fight for what they believe in I say let them. If homosexual should be kicked out, are those who feel that way going to take their place? I doubt that they would be as selfless, noble, honorable, and brave as those persons in the forces gay or straight. I know I am not… would you be? Why does that really matter to you if you rights are still being defended and fought for but you would give these people that right to exercise their rights, your rights?

Click here for part 2

Fun Workout to Try!

Still on the Looking Better Naked kick, (as I will be always) here is a great workout to try. Today I did this with a friend as our little Crossfit mix up workout to put a little flavor into the routine. Remember any activity we can hit up will help make us stronger and healthy and in the end make us Look Better NEKKID!

50, 30, then 20 reps alternating Wallballs and full sit ups. Wall ball are using a medicine ball you squat down low and then explosively throw it all the wall 10 feet up and catch and do again. Click on Wallball to view how they are done.

Then we did Hanging Power Clean and Burpees 15 each alternating 4 times. The Hanging power clean are heavy ish and fast without compromizing technique. POWER being the key work here. To view how to do the Hanging Power Clean click on Hanging Power Clean.

For these or other workouts, exercise demo or other information about crossfit check out CrossFit or Calgary Crossfit.

Chocolate Milk for Muscle Growth?

This is a re blog from The Hot Bod Squad blog. I LOVE chocolate milk so I have to post this. It shows how good it is both in taste and good for you.
This blog was written by Eric Tuner. For fitness and lifestyle types check out the blog. It has some really great ones.

"It has been known by fitness enthusiasts that eating sugary candies and sports drinks immediately after a workout actually helps speed up protein synthesis and replace your glycogen levels, which are key factors in muscle growth and strength gain. That’s why you’ll see a lot of bodybuilders eat candy or drink a sugary sports drink after a workout in addition to their protein shake. Researchers from the American College of Sports Medicine found that chocolate milk also speeds protein synthesis and aids in glycogen replenishment. So if you need something to spice up your protein shakes after a workout, don’t feel guilty for mixing in chocolate milk- it’ll actually HELP the protein do more for your body. It does a body good!"

So as you can see it is among the best recovery snack out there and easily accessible to all.
Like it says; It does a body good!

Remember for me great tips about training smarter eating better and looking hotter check out The Hot Bod Squad!

Tech. Watch and Updates!

One of my favourite things to play with and learn about and have is gadgets and technology toys. Smart phones, computers, home theatre, and the latest tablets. As many of you know I am a huge fan of RIM (Blackberry) and Apple. A friend even suggested that I should be a technological advisor as I am always up to day on the techno tools… so here we go
Lets start with my favourite the Blackberry. I LOVE my Blackberry so much, I am an addict. I check Crackberry blog several times a day to check the latest news for all this Blackberry. Latest Blackberry’s are the Bold (which i have) and the much awaited and epic Blackberry Torch. The first full screen touch with a slide down full QWERTY keyboard.
However the big news from Research In Motion is the Blackberry PlayBook. It is a super high powered tablet from Blackberry. It is HOT! Comes with all you typical Blackberry stuff that we users have come to love and need. It will securely connect with you Blackberry smartphone and run and share any information that is on your Blackberry. Has a front and back facing HD cameras so you can have face to face conversation. It also offers true multi task capabilities unlike the iPad (do not worry I am not knocking the iPad it is a GREAT tool and in my world I would have and use both). Other feature include multi media such as photos, music, and video play back, and amazing internet access which is something that Blackberry has not do well up until the new Torch and the PlayBook. There is also rumours going around that this will come in various colour to choose from. Price has not yet been sent and a tentative sale date of early 2011.

Now to Apple…Steve Jobs is “Going Back to the Mac”. Apple is returning to their notebook and desktop (Mac) side of Apple. the Mac accounts for about 33% of Apple sales. iPad, iPods, iPhone, are all great tools, (as i have blogged about them in the past and as a mater of fact i just bought a new iPod classic three days ago) in the developing of making the technologies to support all those great things Apple has learned a lot. Enter the new Mac Book Air. Thinner, lighter and more powerful than the last generation Air, (let put it this way if the Mac Book Air was a super model it would make Kate Moss look FAT) and will now come in two sized 11” and 13”. From all the great Apple i’s they know how to make things last longer, battery life is 2 more hours then before, and thinner due to the solid state storage. Click on the picture below to watch a video about the new Mac Book Air

Sticking with Apple and their return to the Mac they have also update some of their software and one in particular I think is very cool. Their iLife ‘11 suite has some fantastic improvements to some of the regular iLife programs that Mac users are accustomed to.
The iPhoto’ 11 program in the suite has some pretty cool features. It has face recognition in it. So if you tag one photo of little Jimmy then the programs goes through and tags all the photos of Jimmy with some very impressive accuracy. It can also tag places both automatically (if on an iPhone or a camera the geo tags) or manual if you want to add that in to your exact location on a map within a couple of meters. It will also do the standard event organization for things that happened during the same events or time frames. You can use any of these was to view, sort, or file you photos. Some great new photo sharing over cool e mail postcard type views and facebook logging and sharing.
But that is not even my favourite part. Books and Cards are!!! If you like scrapbooking, and making your own cards you will love this.
I love scrapbooking, though I do not do it as much as I would like. Sometime it just takes forever to find everything you need then cut and glue and on and on. Then you only have one copy. Well with Books you can do that all electronically and then have the finished product sent to your home. You can get one or several copies at once. If you are worried that you are not that creative you can set some themes and guidelines and the program will work around that and you will still have the power to change and customize if there are a couple things you want to change.
Cards in much the same way allows you to create beautiful custom letterpress cards for all different themes and occasions; Wedding invites, thank you, Holiday wishes, to baby announcement can all be done with a couple of click for those who again do not feel that creative or much deeper customization for those who do.
Click on any of the products listed to find out more information or to start working withe some really cool toy! Let me know how they work for you!

Take a little time to enjoy the Views!

It has been a while so I thought I would post a couple of my favorite YouTube videos. Just remember to take a little time to enjoy the view no matter what it may be.

I am not like this at all

Just funny

Good arguments

The Front Fell Off

Model Citizen & Mom of the Year Nominee!

As I was driving home from work today i was stopped at a red light waiting for traffic to go.  I got bored as i do if i am not entertained for more than five seconds.  i started looking around people and car watching. 

There was a minivan behind me that I noticed.  The driver was smoking.  This is a problem because smoking is terrible for your health.  In a moving vehicle is even worse as it is huge distraction from driving.  Funny thing I noticed that she had her windows closed. 

Light is still red.  She then raised her hand up and she was holding a Blackberry texting away.  So neither hand was on the wheel of her minivan.  She was going back and forth between her smoke and the Blackberry. 

Light turned green.  I glance back before I go there was children jumping around in the car WITHOUT seat belts on.  So she was smoking with children in the car with the windows closed, texting, while driving with the kids hopping around from front to back and side to side. 

We drove off and stopped at the next light.  She was parked beside me.  I was so mad because she did not touch the steering wheel the whole time she drove.  Texting and smoking away kids still not belted in.  I got out of my car but she sped off before i could bang on the window to tell her to put her phone down, get her kids belted in, and put out that damn cigarette. 

Cinderella Was Not Saved - She Was a Happy Person All Along!

Love This Compelling Argument I found today. Just goes to show if you do not love yourself who will love you.

Would the prince have chosen Cinderella to marry if she was a miserable young woman? If her stepsisters were beautiful but miserable, would he have chosen either of them?

Are you living under the delusion that when you meet your soul mate you will finally be happy - that your misery is because you are not in a relationship or not in the right relationship?

Most people who are happy in their marriages were ALREADY HAPPY before meeting their spouse! Happy people make happy marriages. Unhappy people either don't marry or generally continue to be unhappy after getting married.

While Cinderella wasn't happy with her circumstances, inside she was a loving, happy person. And so was the prince. "Happily ever after" is often not the result of getting married, but the result of two basically happy people getting married to each other!

Lover and over I hear from my clients: "I need a relationship to be happy." Over and over I say to them, "Focus on learning how to make yourself happy now and then you might find the relationship you are seeking."

If you think about it, it makes sense. If you were a basically happy person, would you be attracted to a basically unhappy person? Not likely.

When you make your happiness dependent upon another person, you are handing them responsibility for your emotional wellbeing. Why would someone else want this responsibility? And, since we are attracted to each other at our common level of woundedness, the chances are that the person you are attracted to and who is attracted to you is also looking to you to take responsibility for their emotional wellbeing. This is called a codependent relationship, not a happy relationship, and definitely not happily ever after.

There is certainly nothing wrong with wanting a wonderful relationship. But the chances of finding that wonderful relationship if you are unhappy is slim. When you are already happy, then you want a relationship to share your love, your happiness, your joy, your learning and growth, and your interests. When you are unhappy, the chances are you are looking for a relationship to make you happy, and this is likely not going happen.

Back to Cinderella. Because she was a caring person, she tried very hard to make her stepmother and her stepsisters happy. But they were never happy. Why? Because they were angry and blaming people, making Cinderella responsible for their happiness. No matter how kind and wonderful she was, it did not matter, because their misery was created by their own beliefs and ways of treating themselves and others.

The same is true in today's relationships. I have worked with many people who were never happy, no matter what their partner did to make them happy. As long as they were judging themselves and others instead of learning how to take responsibility for their own feelings, they were sad, empty, alone inside, hurt and/or angry. As long as they looked outside themselves for the source of their unhappiness, they were stuck being unhappy.

The way out of this unhappiness is to learn how to take 100% responsibility for your own pain and your own joy. Anyone can learn to do this, but, if you are stuck in the false belief that you need the right relationship in order to be happy, then you will likely not be motivated to learn how to do this.

Fall Start Up 2010! Random Thoughts

Now that September is here for many of us it is time to return to routine life again. I call this the Fall Start Up. Everything seems to start in the fall. Sports, School, work stuff, budgets, fall fashion, clubs, I could go on. Summer holidays are over, back to work for some, back to school for others etc. Sometimes our summers are so busy we need a break from our holidays.

By taking some time for yourself to be calm and breathe and refocus yourself you will get that break. This makes it a good time to check your goals and see how you are doing with them. Weight how well you have acheived them. If you have not acheived them ask why, it does not mean you have failed by any means. Thing happen in life that can change or pospone the acheivement of them. As long as you can have a true and justifiable answer as to why then you are off the hook. It better be good!

If you have not set any this is a great time to set some make them short term ones. Set some that you can evaluate in December so you can set some new ones for January. When setting goals be sure that they are achievable but you do have to work for them. A goal should never be easy! Cause all that means is YOU ARE LAZY!

For me most of my goals are private I do not always like sharing them with people. But you need to be accountable to them some how. If like me you are not comfortable sharing them write them down somewhere so that you can revisit them and check in with them. Do not just store them away and never look again. Have your goals in a place that you can see them to remind yourself.

You may remember that one of my goals was to put on 10 lbs of muscle mass. Well I am at 7 lbs right now. It is coming along nicely and I have been working my butt off (often literally) at the gym. Remember for your body it is not just about the gym, it is about fueling your body to perform life and to live.

Remember that fitness is part of life, it is NOT life. There is a huge difference. We need to balance our lives for other things that are important to us. We also need to deal with life happenings that come up from time to time. In my cause happened all summer.
I have two 80 / 20 rules that I follow;
#1) Eat well and clean 80% of the time so if there is an indigence that presents you can eat 20% and your body will be okay and your soul will not be starving for that delicious morsel.
#2) Your body is based on 80% or work and 20 % whole healthy balanced nutrients. If you do not have the 20% nutrition you body will not respond as planned. If you are only fuelling yourself with energy drinks and not sleeping and not eating properly you body will not care if you are working out like crazy.

Think of it this way: If you cannot take care of yourself and your well being how can you take care of others.

Mirror Mirror! Silhouette, Proportion, and Fit

How many people look in the mirror before they leave the house? Like really look, actually look and see what they are wearing, or how the make up is done, or if they got everything off their teeth, or men if you cute yourself shaving and still have toilet paper on your face?

One of the most important places to look in the mirror and see what is going on is when you are purchasing new clothes. I was a witness to someone who I am sure never uses a mirror ever when she tries on clothes. If she did I just do not understand why she was spend the money on the dress for herself or leave the house without thinking something was not right. It was a beautiful dress on the rack I am sure and would look great on other body types but not her.
If you can imagine for a moment a classic bulb Christmas tree decoration, the ones that have the points on the top and the bottom. Now picture that decoration pregnant almost looking like a flying saucer. That is what the dress looked like on her. The dress was on too big of a scale to fit her properly thus giving her the appearance of being much shorter and wider then she is.

We do not want that to happened again to ANYONE so by using the mirror here are some guidelines when trying on or pairing clothes (these rules are from the great Tim Gunn, and they are perfect for helping you out)
1. Silhouette: “When getting dressed, think of your body as a series of thirds; the worst thing you can do is cut yourself in half. Pair a top that ends at your waist (one third) with long pants (two thirds), or wear a knee-length dress that goes no longer than the bottom of your kneecap.”
2. Proportion: “If you have something loose and blousy on top, whatever you wear below should be sleek and well fitted to serve as a counterpoint, and vice versa.”
3. Fit: “Most women wear clothes that are too big – that’s the comfort trap. Women don’t want to feel constrained, but I say, if you want to dress to feel as though you never got out of bed, then don’t.”
(These guidelines are geared towards women but the fit rule works for man also.)

Remember that the Mirror is a tool in your fashion arsenal. The mirror can help you validate that you projecting the best possible image of yourself to the world. We do not want to be pre judge badly for how we look. Yes it does and will happen; we do not want a NO (whatever the case may be) before we even start.

Great workout of the day (WOD) to Look Better NEKKID!

It has been a really long time since the last post of a looks better naked post.  However I and i hope you are still working on being a 10 in 2010.  This was the WOD from the Crossfit website.  They often have great one so you may want to check it out.  Use them as a little mix up for your regular routine.  NOTE: Not always something for every day.  Here is today’s workout
5 rounds (Take your time doing this.  It does not have to be a race.  The important thing is doing it.  Change things so that you are successful but still challenged this should be intense) 
50 Jump and touch – pick somewhere that is an honest 18" above your tiptoe reach as a jump target. 
40 squats
30 sit ups
20 push ups
10 pull ups
This is a great one because you really do not need anything.  You could very easily do it in any space in your gym without equipment other then a matt and a pull up or chin up bar.  You could even do it at the park outside if there was monkey bars.  Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Ladies’ trend Fall 2010 / Winter 2011!

Now that you have had a week and a bit to clear you closet and know what you need to add to it here are some of the fall and winter trends to think about.  Keep in mind that your wardrobe should be based on the 10 essential items as the foundation and build from there.  With the trend they are just the updates or the extra piece to add variety to you outfits for a little fun.  Trend are not really meant to be worn head to toe. 

Here are the trends to spot and check out:

1. Clean Chic – Just like it sounds…No fuss, no frills and no extraneous details.  These clothes are paired down to perfection in the simple yet quality construction.

2. Urban Country – Plaids and tweeds are classic but this season they are done in a more sophisticated way.  Cut sleek and close to the body to be a more citified style

3. The new Long – another one that is just as it sounds.  It is a dramatically long length skirt that puts a downbeat on the ensemble.  It can be worn with sweaters and t-shirts for a less formal look

4. The Womanly Pant – The return of the boot cut pant that flatter the length of a woman’s leg.

5. The Cape – Monastic (great new word of the day also, means resembling life in a monastery in style, structure, or manner, especially simplicity) simplicity in shape and volume. 

Check them out and us the piece to add a great fresh look to your current wardrobe. 

Dinosaurs have better computers than we do and the RATH of the Mona-saurus!

In the last two weeks our network at work has crash 4 times. When it is not crashed everyone's email is inundated with SPAM. Multiple email about Viagra, saving a nation from bankruptcy, private photo galleries, or the need to update my banking info with a establishment I do not even bank with. When the computers were working and not crashing everyone needed to sort through their mail black list any junk mail. We do have an IT guy that comes in when we need, well is supposed to come in when we need. He was in and out during the last two weeks but never that long. As soon as it was fixed and he would leave the systems would crash again. Not really sure if it was actually fixed or not.
I believe the reason why were are having some many problems is because we are running such old equipment and old programs. Some computers are still running Windows 98. The big check in and registrations software we run is no longer supported by the vendor (it is 4 editions behind 6 years old). If something happens in the program and we call for help we get nothing.
For my own work computer I am worried that the hamster is a 100 years old and sometimes the wheel turns because he broke his hip and is falling or the computer is slow because he is sleeping.
One morning this week I arrived at about 8 to my office. The accounts lady greeted me as I walked past her station and then told me the computers were down yet again and not to turn on my computer. We went to the front area to inform all the other office people not to turn on their computers’ and that IT support was already informed of the situation.
Just then the Marketing Director walked in. We told her what was going on. She throw her coat and bag down and started ranting. She started walking up and down the office hallway yelling about all the work that she had to do. She was going on and on. Almost made me think that she was the ONLY person in the entire organization that did anything at all. Do not worry that did not last long because I remembered how hard I work.
She came back over to the accounts lady and myself. She asked if IT support was called. We answered and told her he was but she was still in such a rant she did not hear us say YES and asked two more times. I realized that not only is she CRAZY she is hard of hearing. She then said she was going to call our General Manager.
Well then the accounts lady lost it on the Marketing lady. She asked what the GM could do in her car about the crashed computers here at work. I thought i was a great question…what could she do from her car? NOTHING! The Marketing director screamed as she ran (or should I say quickly waddled) into her office. It was definitely a exhibition of true professionalize if I ever saw it.
The GM arrived and we explained the situation to her. She very calmly walked into her office and tried contacting IT support again. The marketing lady heard that the GM had arrived and STORMED out of her office, pushed me out of her way in the hallway to get to the GM’s office and then told her in her outside voice what we had just told her. Again she said how much work that she had to do and suggested that if she cannot get her work done then the organization will stop functioning, have no money.
Sure Sure she has obviously not seen the profits that my portfolio has brought in. WELL past what I forecasted.
She walked out of the GM’s office like a heard of anger Rhinos. Then got to the area that the accounts lady and I were sitting and announced to us that she will be leaving early and claiming a full days hours. Then she said that she has do it every day that the system has been down. she has claimed a full week of hours and not worked them.
The said party is the she is considered “elite” and thus nothing will happen. She is falsifying the amount of work she is doing and claiming hours and NOTHING. She conducted herself VERY unprofessional and verbally abused a co worker and NOTHING. If anyone else were to do that they for sure would have been fired. In a real business environment she would have at least been written up even fired but at my place of work NOTHING at all she will get away with everything. Not a good business practice and not a good place to work.

Time for the Fashion edit!

Summer is coming to an end. I know really before it even started we are done but it is true. Store and boutiques now have the fall and winter fashions out. This is a perfect time to do a fashion assessment and a closet inventory of what you have. This is great for many reasons.
1. PURGE! If you have something that you have not worn in two seasons (1 year) or more get ride of it! If it is something that is very special or has a sentimental value then keep it but put it into a closet that is for archival pieces not in your regular clothing population. If it is something regular and you are not wearing it get ride of it. That piece is just taking up space for something else.
2. Check wear and tear. So clothes get tattered but are still good. Things may need a tailor or different laundering so now is a great time to do it, as many piece may not be used until next summer. That way you are ready for the summer start up next year.
3. Check what you have. Sometimes we get into a routine with what we wear and what clothes we are laundering that we forget to us some great pieces in our wardrobe. You may have not worn that great shirt for a while just because you forgot you had it. This leads to the next
4. Identify what you need. Check that you have all 10 of the essential items (for women – Little Black Dress, Trench Coat, Dress Pants, Classic Shirt, Jeans, Any Occasion Top, Skirt, Day Dress, Jacket, Sweatsuit Alternative). If you are missing any of the essential items you need to get them. Also include items that you personal want and love that you would like to add to you wardrobe.
5. Go Shopping and update or stylize for the new season. Now that you are armed with the list of what you need us that to start from and then add some cool seasonal piece that you like to you wardrobe. This is where you can really get creative with clothes and accessories. Ensure that you have the foundations and build from there.

One should be tasked with this either every season (Fall/Winter and Spring/ Summer) or once a year and you will keep you clothes looking fresh and fabulous. This also can help with fashion economics as one is less likely to impulse buy since one is abreast with ones fashion inventory.

Remember that when you are shopping that everyone needs to try everything on. And most important your clothes should be soul stirring and move you. If you are not WOWed by it then it is not worth you money.

The Great Floods!

It has been raining like mad last couple of weeks.  This is somewhat uncommon for our area.  Many days in a row of torrential down pours, and best part lots of thunder and lightning.  Many areas of the city have had small flash floods.  Intersections have been closed, Parking lots turned into lakes.  Last night i had to take my flip flops off and wade across one of the parking lots at the movie theatre.  Water was up to my ankles. 

You get the idea, a lot of water.

I arrived at work this morning at 7:15 am to get going after been away for a couple of days due to the 2 funerals and a 65th birthday.  I got into the office and look out the large windows and notice that the fitness floor was flooded.  Water was everywhere.  The gym had to be closed for several hours to do clean up and dry the place off.  There were shop vacs going, many mops, fans, and

It was like a great flood!  I felt the need to build a quick make shift ark so I would be safe.  Really would have been a great idea.  The management have been deal with (or not deal with depending how you look) this situation for awhile. 

Maybe it was a sign…  Maybe I supposed to build the ark and take two lifeguards, two personal trainers, two fitness centre monitor etc and sail away while the silly management did nothing and then was not longer in the facility.  I guess next time I will be ready. 

Honestly if you know that this is going to be a problem and you do not do anything about it then why do you have a job running a facility?  I just do not get if there is a problem that keeps happening why it does not get fixed. 

Oh yes and Matty and Melisa do not worry I will take you also. 

Two Funerals and a 65th Birthday!

It has been a very busy two weeks for me. Like the title suggested it was two funerals and my Dad's 65th birthday bash. My uncle lost his 6 year battle to cancer last Saturday. He was a great man, husband, father, friend, and uncle to main and we will all miss him very much.
He Funeral was not a funeral in the traditional sense. It was a Celebration of his Life and him! It was in a Church but not that churchie. There was no hymns but music that my Uncle listen too; Eric Clapton, Jack Johnson, Sara McLaughlin just to name a few. It was beautiful really, and yes I said a funeral was beautiful. I notice that during the service there was a hawk stuck flying in the window. He was there almost in the same place flying the entire time. Then when they played the song I Will Remember You, it flew away and was gone. Pretty sure it was my Uncle checking up on everyone to be sure they were all going to be okay and making sure we played the right music.

The other Funeral was a old friend of the family. She was around my Nana's age and lived down the street from my family. I went to have coffee with her a couple time a week when I was 6, 7, and 8 years old. It would take a half an hour some winter days for my mom to suit me up just to go two houses down the block and have a coffee. She also taught me to say damn and hell. DAMN RIGHTS, was a favourite saying of hers.

The Birthday party of the century... Well for a small town and my family anyway. The Daddy's big 65th birthday bash. It was a great family affair. Half the town was there in the back yard. So many people we had to have some in the back alley behind the house and the yard. It is always great to see my brothers and sisters-in-law and chat and have fun. They are all so much fun. AJ and UV you are a great time too! I love you all!
Also back at home it was nice to visit the old pool that I worked at when I 17. Stop by to have a lovely swim in the sun.

Why EnLightningment?

What is in a name? Or does he really know how to spell? That is what you are all thinking when you read this I am sure. Well first I am a terrible speller and really am trying to do my best but this time it is spelt correctly

On July 8th 2003 I was struck by Lightning. Hence enLIGHTNINGment. (in case it does not make sense the combination of Lightning and enlightenment.
I was working at an outdoor pool as a Manager that summer. It was a great summer thus far, crazy hot weather meant we were busy. This particular day was not change, it was hot and very busy. In the mid afternoon the wind suddenly came up. It was a very strong wind and blowing stuff all over the place. We turned on the radio to listen to the news and there was now a weather warning for our area for thunder and heavy rain. It was hard to believe because there was not a cloud in sight.

At 3 in the afternoon the wind came up again even stronger then earlier and was blowing leafs, and branches around. The clouds came rolling in, they were massive and very dark. As they rolled in people started leaving the pool. It is an older pool so with many people getting out of the water the water level dropped. The top skimmers were sucking air, and that is a terrible thing.

Then the thunder came so we had to clear the pool and kick everyone out. Wind was still blowing strong and starting to blow the lawn chairs over. The thunder was loud and the lightning was bright and getting closer and closer with each clap. My staff started collecting the equipment that was out on deck and I went to adjust the pipes in the basement to correct the flow of water to stop the pump from sucking air. But there was a problem, something was stuck in the pipe and I was unable to close it. I had to improvise.

We had large inflatable rubber plugs that I could put in the deck drains. I grabbed the plugs and a metal air pump. Put the plugs and my hands in the water, hooked the air pump up and started pumping away. I heard a loud clap of thunder and was thinking it was really close.

Then there was some down time that I do not really remember. I was told by my staff (two of them witnessed the lightning hit the metal air pump which was in my hand) that I jump up about 3 feet and light up.

I came to and everyone was standing around me checking to see if I was OK and performing their checks for first aid.

I jumped up and rain into the office. I was hit by lightning! I called my home where my mom was staying for a visit. We went to the hospital and they checked me out. I was OK but that adventure is another story in itself.

I was numb in my arms and legs for two week and terrible bruising on my chest. Aside for that I did not have any other side effects (depending on who you ask).

Now I have an Electric personality and I am sure to SPARK great conversation.

Tarsand VS. BP Oil Spill, take a moment & think

A town in Washington state has recently passed a bylaw to reduced their fossil fuel consumption in their municipal vehicles. Normally I think that this is a wonderful idea, and I still think it is. It is great when a municipality, city, or what have you takes a environmental stand to help the Earth.

But the reason for this one is somewhat interesting to me and a little shall we say… ironic.

Keep in middle that on the east coast of the United State there is a British Petroleum platform spewing thousands and thousands of barrels of oil into the ocean a day for the past fifty plus days. This whole circumstance started with an explosion that killed 11 people on the platform. Devastation in the Ocean ecology destroy habitats of sea life, polluting miles and miles of beaches. Much worse then the Exxon Valdes (spelling?) spill. I could go on but just know that the BP platform accident is a huge disaster, both environmentally, economically, and a sad loose of human life.

Back to Washington state town now. The reason for the vote in reduction is because in the last couple of years the town has been getting a great deal of their oil supply from the tarsands in Northern Alberta. They believe that the current process of extracting the oil from the tarsands is not “environmentally sound”. They feel the tarsands project does not have enough checks and balances to ensure that it is do safely and ethically for both workers and the environment.

Let us review – whose nation has a massive oil leak polluting the environment around it? Whose nation’s lack of strict safety standards and ethical practices had an explosion while they were capturing the oil, killing 11 people?

Just a little strange to me, Washington please do not forget what is happening on your other coast.

What's in a Name? I AM!

It is driving me nuts! I know that things like that should not be a big deal but it is because the name they are using is not I. My name is spelled incorrectly on all my outgoing e-mail. Now the income mail are being address to someone else (that how I feel anyway). It is not like have had a hard name to spell either, just so you know. COLIN just one L.

About a week ago a co-worker notice that my name was spelt wrong in the e-mail signature. We do not set up our on signatures and when we send e-mail it is added as soon as we hit send, so I could not even see it spelt wrong myself. She noticed it and e-mailed our IT guy so that I could be change. We specified that my name only has one L in it not two and that it was only wrong in the signature that was added after the fact.

The next day at work I thought I would check to see if it had change. Well something did change, but not for the right. Now in the internal global mailing list my name was spelled with two L’s, so no everything was more wrong (terrible grammar I know). I e mailed the IT guy and let him know again that my name was spelt incorrectly on the signature and now the global mailing list.

He called me the next day to check in (his name is Perry). He said it would be really hard to change. He said it like he wanted me to be, “oh really then don’t worry about it.” Instead I was like, “OK then when are you going to have this done. He asked if it was a really big deal. I said, “Well Percy it is not my name with two L’s.” not sure if he did not hear or just ignored the comment but he said he would check into it over the week end.

Now we are back at Monday morning with 19 new e-mail in my inbox. I checked every signal e-mail was address to the wrong name, the double L name (who I am not). I checked in the mailing list and in the signature and nothing was do at all. Back to the SLOW computer stuff I guess all over again. How many days before I am who I am? I will just e mail Percy (or do I mean Perry who know if I call him the wrong name maybe he will understand) and REMIND him again.

My Civic is TOO BIG! What?!?

Being from a small town where most people including my family have at least one large vehicle (like a truck or massive SUV) were it was used on the farm for a work vehicle. I am used to driving big vehicles. I learn how to drive in a Suburban. Great way to learn how to parallel park let me tell you. I currently dive a small ish (not tiny) two door Pontiac.
In the city it seems that many (not all) people have only driven cars, tiny cars, like the Civics, Focus, Mini’s and such. Compacts and sub compacts cars. They tend to have a false sense of the size and proportions of their cars.
I went to a movie last night and circle the parking lot for some time trying to find a close parking spot. I was being lazy and blamed it on the fact that I worked out SO HARD that day that my legs needed the time to rest and regenerate.
I notice that there was a car loading and getting ready to leave the stall. I pulled to the side and waited. A blue Civic came round the corner and stopped. She noticed that I was waiting for the stall and contained driving on. The she stopped! She gave me a dirty look and shook her head. I was like what is going on?
She rolled down her window and said she did not have enough room to pass me in the lane.
SERIOUSLY!
There was 2 meters on either side of her car, and you cannot get past me. Then you should not be driving! I could have driven a Hummer or really a war tank in the space that she could not drive her Civic. Come on! You have among the smallest cars in the industry and you do not know how to big it is. Just to me sure you understand how much room the car had on either side of us. An Airbus A380 landed and taxied between my car and her car while she waited for me to move. So I did not move. I did not want to lose my prime parking space.
Lesson for any vehicle you dive know the dimensions. Civics are not that big. Sure in traffic they can move, but you cannot expect a tree or rock to move out of you way if the need arises.

Summer is here, Skin is out (well I mean IN really)!

Now that we FINALLY have nice weather many of us will be baring more skin and that is HOT and SEXY. Remember it is all about LOOKS BETTER NAKED. Here are some great tips to keep you skin looking great for the summer but really all the time, all year around.

This is deep folk…but like anything for our body’s health and wellness comes from with in ourselves. Be sure that you have some good way to deal with life stress. Stress reflects on the skin causing aging to quicken. We cannot avoid stress so learn to deal and coop with it in a healthy way. Getting enough sleep and rest is also important for the whole body and well being of our souls. Be sure that you are getting enough or take step to help you relax so you can.

That is the end of the deep stuff, but still with in the body. Drink plenty of cool clean fresh water everyday all day long; it is great for the entire body! Keeping hydrated helps keep body temperature regulated in the warmer weather, helps the body run more smooth and efficient and keep the skin looking clean and clear. Eating good nutrition food is a must all around and will reflect in your skin. Yes, that mean smoking is BAD for you thus bad for your skin.

For the outside of the body, deep the skin well moisturized. Here is a little recipe for a great body moisturizer: mix in an old lotion bottle or a spray bottle about 1/4 (or a little less) of baby oil, 1/4 of Aloe gel and 1/2 of what ever lotion you like. Shake it well to emulsify. It is a little runnier then your normal lotion so it is easy to put on larger body part. Great for the skin and gives a lovely healthy glow.

Last but not least to keep your skin looking young and health for life use a sunblock. The sun causes damage to skin thus accelerated aging and in worst case cause skin cancer. An SPF of 30 or greater is what is usually recommended by dermatologist. Reapplied if you are out door all day or sweating it off with vigorous activity or in water. You can put it on after your grease up with lotion or find a moisturizer you like that has it build in. KEY: remember to wait 20 – 30 min after you put your SPF on before you head outside. Give it a chance to soak in so it will work.

Look great for the summer and continue using these tips all year round and have great skin from the inside and outside of the body will be yours for the rest of your LOOKS BETTER NAKED life.

Finally a Computer or was I better without??

Trying to get into the new job has been a challenge to say the least. After only two week of work I finally got a proper work station with my own computer, sign on, passwords, and e mail address. Again only 2 week of working but the organization has know that I have been coming for 3 weeks and has known about having this position for over 5 weeks. It was still a surprise that I was coming.

What I was doing is every morning come and ask someone to log me onto their computer. Not everyone was in the office at the same time so this worked. I would only last a couple of hours on one computer before the owner of the work station came in and I would have to do it again. Some days I used 5 different computers. I would think that constantly asking the General Manager, "Oh would you mind logging me on. Sorry to interrupt this very important meeting...AGAIN but I still do not have a log on," would help hurry things up a bit. Not the case.

A lovely lady in the office was going for a well deserved vacation so I got to use her work space. Still did not have a log in so every time I left the computer I logged off. Then had to interpret someone to get logged on again. That sure escalated the need for me to have a log in. So after two week FINAL a log in and a computer with e mail.

First day on the new computer and all the computer has done all morning is load update after update after update. Every 15 minutes it has to shut down and restart to install the update and then download the next one. Getting a lot done but also just as many interruptions because the IT person did not set that up. Strange thought that would be done and I would be just ready to start working away. NOPE!

One of the update somehow change everything to French (Canadian of course). No a huge deal as I can read enough French to change everything back. I did not notice this until I was typing an e mail and did a spell check before sending. I am already dyslexic so if a word looks like it is spelt right I'm good. Often do no discriminate between weather it is French of English spellings. Never occurred to me until accent marks started popping up, then I knew something was not right.

Oh excuse me a second another SHUT DOWN, update restart!
Meanwhile ALL DAY another lady in the office is walking up and down the hallway dragging her feet. I'm thinking she may need a new hip and cannot pick up her feet but please...

After this shut down I change the language preferences back to English (Canadian of course). Meanwhile yet another update has started downloading.

Now that I can do some e mail and continue working on my other stuff I logged onto the public drive where i was saving my stuff. Oh another problem...Every computer has a different Office and Widows editions. Most are 2003, One has 2007, and mine yup 2000. So when I went to open some of my files. Yep you guest it some of my files will not open of this computer. I tried changing them to a compatible versus and poof they are all gone. One would think that every computer in the organization would all have the same version of the same programs so that things like this do not happen... One would think anyway. So starting from scratch on many of them. I was able to salvage some of them so not a complete and total loose.

Ohh I guess I'm done now. Another SHUT DOWN, update, restart