Goals for 2009

Wow... January has already hurried itself through to 67% completion, and I wanted to get my resolutions for 2009 out before February gets here. So here they are...

In General
1. Spend less; save more
2. Eat healthier
3. Be as active as possible
4. Prepare every needful thing

More Specific
A. Finish MBA by February 28th!
B. Achieve ideal weight... I'm calculating that to be 175
C. Make some rockin' home improvements! (Still deciding what order to go in)
D. Read the New Testament cover to cover
E. Go to the temple twice monthly... once by myself, once with Amanda
F. Sharpen up my Portuguese! Think "trip"

Holy Schnikey!!

Okay, I’ve just got to lay this out… I can’t WAIT to be done with school! If you make it to the end of this rant/post, you'll understand completely. My school works in 6-month semesters. Like most MBA programs, WGU's is designed to take 2 years. Well, my two-year mark comes to a close on FEBRUARY 28TH, and I am hellbent on reaching my goal to complete my studies in that 2-year time frame!

Apparently I was only semi-present the first 18 months of school, because this semester I will have literally completed 21 units of the total 40 required for my MBA!! I'll spare my fellow nerds the struggle of reaching for their calculators: 52.5% In 25% of the desired timeframe! That indicates two very good probabilities, in quantitative methods-speak:

• It has been a hellacious few months.
• Had I applied myself similarly for the FIRST 6 months as I have the FINAL 6 months, I perhaps could have finished in ONE YEAR. But alas, I don't think I (or my family) would have liked that very much. I have professional associates who have been divorced by the time they finished their master’s degrees, and that was working at the standard pace. Grad school is definitely a pressure cooker!

My past four months have included the following so far:

• An 18-page “case study” paper for Marketing
• THREE brutal certification exams covering these 10 disciplines, each accompanied by weeks of preparation that normally takes months, and one of which proved insane enough that I had to complete it in two attempts:
  a. Strategy
  b. Operations Management
  c. Organizational Behavior/Human Resource Management
  d. Financial Accounting
  e. Managerial Accounting
  f. Corporate Finance
  g. Marketing Management
  h. Quantitative Analysis
  i. Macroeconomics
  j. Microeconomics

NOW, I have SIX WEEKS to complete a 26 to 40 page Capstone Project, which is basically an intensive research project of my desired “career path” and an analysis of my competency to travel said path. Interesting. So... now it's finally time to decide what I want to do when I grow up! Haha. (I'm left wondering if that is really a one-time decision for most people anymore... my belief is that reality speaks differently, and most people ebb and flow through their career, but I digress...)

As if that is not enough, I then get to complete an “Oral Defense” of that project by assembling a "career portfolio," creating a 10-15 slide PowerPoint “summarizing the salient points of my career field,” how I will be successful at it, and addressing 7 competency areas, and then I put the cherry on top with my own production of a video recorded professional presentation lasting 15-20 minutes which is to highlight my qualifications for maneuvering such an obstacle course. LOVELY!

If I go missing for the next little while, don’t answer the phone or return messages, YOU’LL KNOW WHY. :)

Dave Barry's Review of 2008

The acronym "LOL" to the texting and instant messaging experts of the world means, of course, "laughing out loud." While it suggests to the reader that the sender is indeed participating in such an activity, rarely is that truly the case.

THAT SAID, I read this article today and couldn't help literally laughing out loud in my office a few times! Barry has a fun sense of humor. Myself claiming to be a "Nonpartisan Moderate," I like when it comes to politics how Barry unabashedly pokes fun at both sides equally.

Treat yourself. Take ten minutes and read this article poking a little fun at the roller coaster ride of last year! As he says, "Why not? We paid for it."

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/content/mobile/1,5143,705273834,00.html?printView=true

Master Cleanse -- follow up

As I typed out this email response to one of my best buddies about a master cleanse question, I thought I'd post it here for the benefit of any blog followers that read my earlier Master Cleanse post. Let me know if I can offer other specific feedback from my own experience.

JDC

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jo,

I got my maple syrup at Whole Foods. Easily the BEST place to get it. It's the most expensive part of the cleanse. $15.99 for 32 oz. (By comparison, the first bottle I bought was 12 oz at Smith's for $9.99) HOWEVER... read on.

I'm possibly changing my tune on the Master Cleanse. Since doing it, I have had to find a pro-biotic (opposite of anti-biotic, literally) to help get my system back to normal. I guess the lemon juice, salt water, etc., is pretty rough on the natural "gut flora" in our intestines and master cleansers have to do something to encourage rebuilding. And to make matters worse (I'm blaming the holidays), I gained back most of the pounds I lost during the cleanse.

Call me CRA-zy, but I'm going to also test out something entirely different called the Fat Flush. It's more sensible. You eat. You just eat a "butt load" of fiber---pardon the term, given the topic. I'll let you know what I learn about it!

Stay tuned, and stay in touch!

Justin

Yep! It's official...

... you ARE a grand old 27, my dear. Amanda had to do some math this morning just to double-check her age. How could I help a little birthday "roast" when I saw this on the fridge? :)

Ageless Wit & Observations

If you don't read the newspaper, you are uninformed;
if you do read the newspaper, you are misinformed.
- Mark Twain

Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress....
But then I repeat myself.
-Mark Twain

I contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like
a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle.
-Winston Churchill

A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul.
- George Bernard Shaw

A liberal is someone who feels a great debt to his fellow man,
which debt he proposes to pay off with your money.
-G. Gordon Liddy

Democracy must be something more than two wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner.
-James Bovard, Civil Libertarian (1994)

Foreign aid might be defined as a transfer of money from poor people in rich countries to rich people in poor countries.
-Douglas Casey, Classmate of Bill Clinton at Georgetown University

Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys.
-P.J. O'Rourke, Civil Libertarian

Government is the great fiction, through which everybody endeavors to live at the expense of everybody else.
-Frederic Bastiat, French Economist (1801-1850)

Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases:
If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.
-Ronald Reagan (1986)

I don't make jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts.
-Will Rogers

If you think health care is expensive now, wait until you see what it costs when it's free!
-P.J. O'Rourke

In general, the art of government consists of taking as much money as possible from one party of the citizens to give to the other.
-Voltaire (1764)

Just because you do not take an interest in politics
doesn't mean politics won't take an interest in you!
-Pericles (430 B.C.)

No man's life, liberty, or property is safe while the legislature is in session.
-Mark Twain (1866)

Talk is cheap... except when Congress does it.
-Unknown

The government is like a baby's alimentary canal,
with a happy appetite at one end
and no responsibility at the other.
-Ronald Reagan

The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of the blessings.
The inherent blessing of socialism is the equal sharing of misery.
-Winston Churchill

The only difference between a tax man and a taxidermist is that
the taxidermist leaves the skin.
-Mark Twain

The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly is to fill the world with fools.
-Herbert Spencer, English Philosopher (1820-1903)

There is no distinctly Native American criminal class...save Congress.
-Mark Twain

What this country needs are more unemployed politicians.
-Edward Langley, Artist (1928 - 1995)

A government big enough to give you everything you want,
is strong enough to take everything you have.
-Thomas Jefferson

The Master Cleanse!

A couple of weeks ago, I came across a book one of my co-workers had left by the copy machine--Staying Healthy With the Seasons, by Dr. Elson Haas, M.D. I picked it up and opened straight to a page about "The Master Cleanse." Intrigued, as the topic of detoxifying my body is one I have wondered about but up to that time had never explored, I photocopied that entire chapter. I read the whole chapter on my train/bus ride home from work that evening. The next day, I had a copy of the entire book from the library.

So, what is the cleanse? I quickly learned that the master cleanse is not a concept, especially to the health-conscious, organic shopper types who can be found at places like Whole Foods Market. In fact, it was developed in the 1940's by Stanley Burroughs. Essentially, the cleanse is basically a diet of a special "lemonade" that helps rid the human body of impurities, and in some cases YEARS of build up. Ewww...

Lemonade??

2 Tbs. fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 Tbs. Grade B 100% Pure Maple Syrup
8 - 10 oz. filtered or spring water
1/10th tsp. cayenne pepper*

* I have learned a secret... cayenne pepper pills. Much more tolerable!

The idea is to Drink 8 - 12 servings daily of the above concoction for 3 - 10 days (or more, for some folk). The objective is to fast from eating solid foods and to let this drink cleanse your entire digestive system. It also helps "clean" certain organs like the liver and kidneys. "Lemon is a perfect liver food and a great body cleanser," says Dr. Haas. He continues, "High in Vitamin C, Potassium, and other minerals, lemons are somewhat astringent, meaning that they contract and tighten tissues, which loosens up and clears the toxins from deep tissues and organs."

The maple syrup provides an energy source for the muscles.

The cayenne pepper, I read, "helps clear the blood and eliminates toxins and mucus, as well as keeps the body warm."

Because the body senses the absence of food, it will naturally want to slow down if not stop the "elimination" process. However, as the idea is to rid the body of those toxins, many of which are found in the bowels, it is essential to keep things moving. Resources suggest utilizing a "salt-water intestinal flush" and/or herbal laxative senna tea. The flush includes two teaspoons of sea salt mixed in a quart of lukewarm water and is to be taken in its entirety the first morning of the cleanse. It is advised that you stay near a bathroom for the next 1 - 2 hours! The purpose is to clean out your bowels, and if you can get through that whole quart, that's precisely what will happen!

As of this latest edit, I have just completed my first Master Cleanse! Originally, I set out to do the cleanse for 7 days, but, as Dr. Haas suggested, I "listened" to my body and felt after the 4th day that enough time had passed. Here's how it went!

DAY 1 - starting weight 195 lbs.

CONFESSION: I tried jumping into this LAST week on Monday after a delicious Sunday dinner of steak and potato stew. I could only stand drinking half of the salt water (16 ozs) before I gave up. That stayed in my system for hours and was not a pleasant feeling. So I decided to give it a go the following week.

This time around, I eased into it, eating only fruit morning and afternoon of the day before starting and a light vegetable soup for dinner... no meats or sugars for the day. Day 1, I pounded nearly the whole quart of salt water, and it worked the way it should.

How did I feel? The first day was an adjustment period. I felt a little tired, especially during the afternoon, perhaps due to the absence of my morning diet Dr. Pepper run. Nevertheless, it felt like a healthy tired, if that makes sense. I hit the gym for a light workout, and that got my endorphins up. I wasn't too hungry, but when I smelled food, I craved it. Being at the office during the day helped, as there was really no food to be tempted with to snack on. Glad I learned about the cayenne pepper pills... it made the experience much more pleasant, as that one experimental day last week was tough to choke the drink down with the pepper mixed in. Using the pill method, the juice is actually pretty good!

DAY 2 - weight 192 lbs.

The day was pretty good. A bit headache-ridden at times. I chose to do a light workout again on my lunch break, and that helped chase the headache away and up the energy. I felt more energy than on Day 1.

My cravings for food lessened a little more, too. While waiting for the train after work, something smelled incredibly good at a restaurant somewhere in the vicinity on Main. It was easy at that point to recognize the truth that my love for food will not go away with this cleanse--nor is that the purpose--but I think my choices will become wiser in what I willingly put into my body.

DAY 3 - weight 190 lbs.

Wow, I felt GREAT on Day 3! I really felt the effects of this cleanse. I opted to go the herbal lax route instead of the salt-water method, and it works like a charm. I had a very tough time willingly drinking that salt water. Cup of tea before bed, next morning it does its job. Not to get too specific, but I'm amazed at what the body begins to eliminate after 3 days of this cleanse.

I felt energy that I admittedly did not think I would feel after 3 days with no solid foods. It's like a pure energy; no credit to caffeine. While the first couple of days were accompanied by some headaches, Day 3 was almost completely devoid of headaches. I found myself no longer craving that diet Dr. Pepper nor unhealthy foods. In fact, rolling past the Burger King on 4th this morning on the train, I thought "I could never go there again and be totally cool with that." I felt a little guilty that I've taught my kids to eat french fries and other fast foods. I'm still trying to decide how to implement more of a whole foods diet that the kids will take to.

DAY 4 - weight 187 lbs.

By this final day, I felt like I had completely adjusted to my new diet, that I could live on lemonade forever. While I felt that I could easily go on for days, I think 4 days is a good benchmark for the first "cleanse" and I determined to ease off of it at the end of the day. I have been able to see a difference looking in the mirror. That little tire around the middle I've had such a tough time eliminating, even after a solid year of exercise, was greatly diminished in 4 days! I think my body really burned some of its stored fat.

My plan is to do this again, perhaps for a couple more days, after the new year and for sure by March 1st. I think it would be ideal to do quarterly! I feel great!!

Helpful Secrets I've Learned So Far:

• I've made the drink with lemon juice, lime juice, and a mixture of both. I prefer the lemon version best, in spite of my love for lime. Lime is good when made fresh but not if made the night before and refrigerated.
  


• As it is suggested to not store the juice in plastic containers due to the acids in the lemon juice extracting toxins from the container, I've found glass SoBe bottles to be perfect for mixing/transporting 2 servings at a time. I made three bottles and took them to work with me.


• Rinse or brush after drinking each serving! The acidity in the lemon juice is not kind to tooth enamel.


• I like making this fresh more than making it in advance. The advance method offers some convenience, but it tastes a little better fresh.

Disclaimer: If you decide to try this out yourself, it would be wise to study up on the subject first. Again my main resource was "Staying Healthy With the Seasons," by Dr. Elson M. Haas, M.D. But simply "googling" the subject MASTER CLEANSE will provide a plethora of resources as well.