You can keep your gold

Oh, the troubled times we are a living in? With talk of doomsday around the corner, presidential elections in November, the current economic situation, and the Mayan calendar supposedly ending on December 21, 2012, it is no wonder that folks are starting to get a little antsy. So, what are we supposed to do?

Aaron: I remember some time back my brother and I were talking about folks of today, primarily workers joining the workforce and their mentality…their work ethic. My brother said: “Things are different now days. When shit got broke; we fixed it. Now these people don’t want to do anything and don’t know how to do anything.” And this is so true. It is all about the attitude of just getting down there and getting it done. Instead of waiting for someone else to solve YOUR problem.

John: Good point there…waiting for someone else to solve YOUR problem. No one takes responsibility now days for their actions. Sad thing is that is how WE raised them. But enough of that. Let’s get to the true topic at hand: current domestic issues. I was just reading an article about gold and other precious metals. And how the prices have escalated recently but it is not too late to “get in on it” and purchase some precious metal before the collapse of the American dollar. But what exactly will the gold do for you?

Aaron: Let’s look at a scenario. The economy has collapsed. Paper money that you buried in the back yard or kept safely in a bank is only useful to start a fire with or wipe your ass. What is that gold really going to be good for? After the “bad times”, I agree that precious metals will be the foundation of the new economical building. But for those years prior when things are really ruff, that gold will only get your ass killed. That is it. Let’s say right now you have $500 extra money you want to spend in preparation for your SHTF Plan. (SHIT HITS THE FAN) One guy buys $500 worth of gold and the other guy buys a used, untraceable Glock (legally) and 200 rounds of ammo. When riots are in the streets and your family is running low on food and water, as most others will be, what would you rather have in your hand during negotiations? That tiny little gold nugget or a semi-auto pistol?

John: This is a no brainer here folks. For the long term, yes gold/other precious metals would be a good investment. But who do you think will end up with the gold? The guy with the gold or the guy with the gun?

Aaron: It will be worse for those in the big cities. Country folks won’t turn on each other as quick as they will in the city and will likely help one another. This goes to the story I mentioned earlier. Country folks will take care of themselves and not wait for the government to come in on its white horse and save the day. Think about this; on November 7, 2012, someone will lose. And they are going to be upset. No matter which side it is, they are going to be pissed. Add on the 12-21-2012 end of time, loss of jobs, etc… and that pressure cooker is going to erupt big time.

John: Now I don’t know if it will get that bad or not…

Aaron: Damn sure it will!

John: I am not so sure, but, why not be prepared?

Aaron: Now you’re thinking right!

John: It is kind of like hurricane preparedness. We have fuel, water, food, batteries, etc… ready for when it hits. But nothing will go to waste. The fuel will go into vehicles and lawnmowers, the water has a long shelf life and we drink a lot of it, and the food and water can be used at home and when camping.

Aaron: I refuse to buy crap that will go to waste if “it” doesn’t happen. Be “it” is a hurricane, dooms day, whatever. Everything I have will be used if not for the original purpose for which it was purchased.

John: With that being said, here are some ideas to thing about in the upcoming months. Things that may be wise to acquire while you still can. AMMO: You can never have enough ammo. It has a long shelf life if stored properly. I have ammo stamped 1943 and it still fires. FIREARMS: You can never have too many firearms. You can get a lot more in trade for a pistol and 100 rounds of ammo than you can with a fist full of $100 bills. Guns are like land when it comes to prices; they only go up. WATER PURIFICATION SUPPLIES, etc…

Aaron: But that list is common sense stuff. You will need to think outside the box to survive. I would rather have a dozen snares than a shotgun and two boxes of shells when it comes time to feed the family. Get some snares and learn how to use them now. All those manuals on survival stored on your hard drive won’t be worth squat when the battery runs out will they? Better learn that shit now!

John: Getting kind of radical there huh hoss? Haven’t even loss cable signal yet and you are ready to get in the bunker for survival.

Aaron: May be, but there is not a damn thing wrong with being prepared. Skills learned today that will aid in survival tomorrow are a good investment brother.

John: Touche’

Aaron: Better safe than sorry. So stop talking about what you need to do and get to doing it…now. The clock is ticking folks.

Darwin and the problems of today

I had to do a write up for class this semester and chose the chapter on evolution. The following is a group effort by both John and Aaron. John did the bulk of the writing to keep us from getting us kicked out of class and Aaron put in just enough to piss off the liberals and democraps. I wished I could have went more in detail tying all the points I hit on together but I was limited on space. Here is a portion of my forum post:

I believe in some of what Darwin wrote about. I don’t think he is a genius for his theories though. For example, he discusses that a champion female body builder will not give birth to a muscle-bound baby. This is something that the person achieved on their own; an acquired characteristic that cannot be passed on. I agree. 

Take a look at giraffes for examples. Giraffes with the longest necks could reach more food than that of the shorter necked giraffes. Sooner or later, only the longest necked giraffes will survive and give birth to other long neck giraffes. This to me is just common sense. “Only the strong will survive” or “natural selection”, whatever you want to call it, is just one of his theories.

But here is a thought that ties this “line of thinking” into today’s times and troubles. Take a look back a few generations ago. The WWII generation for this example. How many died for this country? 416,800 military deaths. For the most part, as a whole, 416,800 men and women died that were unable to come back home and have families, raise kids, and have those kids raise kids. 

Those characteristics and traits that made those men and women brave, strong, and self-less were lost. SOME of those that were left to procreate the next generation were not as strong willed as those that perished. Another generation to lose great folks was those that fought in the Vietnam War. 58,138 perished. Again, those that stayed behind were able to procreate while those who died also had their strengths die with them. 

So now, we have a portion of a generation being raised by draft dodging, drug induced living, tree hugging hippies who were raised by those who escaped the previous war. Not only are the strengths lost with the perished soldiers, but the lifestyles and “mentalities” of the weak are pushed on others and their offspring.

Thus, you have the politically correct, no score keeping soccer games, bed wetting, laziness we see today running this once great country into the ground with every poor decision they make. I really think that if those brave men and women lost in wars past were able to procreate then we would not be in the mess we are in currently. But who knows, maybe we would be in worse conditions. That is why it is called a theory. Just remember, about eighty percent of Darwin’s theories have been squashed by modern day scientists. I can write 1000 quotes and at least some of them can be proven true or will be correct. Even the blind squirrel finds an acorn from time to time. And a broken clock is correct twice a day.

Don’t believe everything you read, see, or hear. Believe only what you know is true and not someone else’s opinion.Later.

There is more than one way to skin a hog!

John: I have seen a lot of folks process wild game a lot of different ways. It seems like everybody with a pocket knife and a video camera has made a video on how to do it. 

Aaron: Yep. I agree. When it comes to opinions on how to clean wild game it is a like assholes; everyone’s got one. From what I have seen in the “how to” videos, they should have labeled them as “what not to do” videos. That’s where we come in. 

John: Damn straight. We’ve cleaned a good bit of hogs, deer, squirrels, rabbits, nutria, beaver, otter, coon, duck, chicken, etc… I am no expert, but I have learned a few things along the way.

Aaron: And one thing I have learned is to not depend on anyone being there to help. So all these instructions we are about to lay out are for when you are by yourself and don’t have or want any help. On a deer hunt in Brady, Texas, the guides were “helping” me by gutting the deer and splitting the pelvis while on the ground…in the dirt…with the hide still on. No sir. I informed them that I can do it on my on and waited till everyone else was finished before I started.

I have learned to do most things on my own not because I have to but because I want to; sex not included. I just don’t like people. Heck, if John didn’t hold my pecker when I took a piss I wouldn’t like him neither. LOL

John: Watch it smartass. It’s my junk too. Any way, we are going to do a step by step on how to process/clean/butcher a hog. I decided on a hog because that is the only thing in season right now in Louisiana worth hunting. You can hunt a hog 24 hours a day right now in Louisiana using infrared, night vision, laser sights, whatever you want. Between hunting and trapping, you should never run out of fresh pork in the freezer. So let’s get started.

1-It is extremely important to get the hog processed quickly due to the heat. If hunting at night you have more time to do it. But during the summer months, if you catch several hogs in a trap, you have got to get them on ice pretty quick or your loose the meat. I prefer to process only a few at a time; again I am doing this by myself. Remember, once you kill the animal the clock starts. If possible, kill them as you clean them. If it is long trip from where you hunt to where you process/clean, then field dress them by removing the guts and put in a bag of ice or two. It all depends on time and heat. I have never field dressed an animal and I have never lost any meat. But I don’t play around; I get it done. Field dressing allows for dirt and hair to get in the body cavity and it is a pain removing it later on.

2-So now you have a hog on the trailer or slab, not in the dirt, ready to start cleaning. Make sure you have all the necessary tools to do it. My arsenal includes a way to hang it, hand saw, razor knife with hooked end, regular razor knife,  skinning knife with gut hook, a small knife used for rectal removal, gambrel, water hose, ice chest, gut bucket, rubber gloves and pliers if you want them, and tree trimming loppers. Start with removing its head as close to the skull as possible as to leave behind more neck meat. Using your largest knife, ring the neck down to the bone. After this, I just twist its head a few turns and the head comes right off. Next, use the loppers to cut off the front legs behind the first joint above its hoof.

3-Now it’s time to hang em up. I use a chain gambrel I made that slips over the rear hoof and cinches itself down with the weight of the hog. Put the chain between the hoof and the first joint above the hoof. With other types of gambrels, you have to cut the rear leg and insert the gambrel to hook it. Use what you got but be aware if you cut too deep using this type of gambrel, you hog is going to fall down. Also, a deer gambrel will work on larger hogs, but you need a smaller one for normal size pigs. Their legs are shorter and don’t spread near as far apart.

4-Next, I hose it down. I wet the hair really good and in the process get a lot of the dirt and mud off of the hide. It is just less that will get on the meat later.

5-Using the hooked razor knife, start at the end of the rear legs just below the last joint behind the hoof and run down toward its middle following the center of the leg. If it is a boar hog, the point should end in front of its manly part. Do this on both sides making a “V”. Continue the “V” down with one cut all the way to where the head was. Now cut those same lines on the front legs like you did on the rear legs. Next, ring around the rear legs at the point where you started cutting.

WARNING: With all animals, you do not want to spill any contained fluids that are in the animal, i.e. bladders, stomachs, etc… But with a boar hog, it is really important not to open up the bladder or any fluid filled pouches around the genitalia area. Another thing to remember, any knife that touches the feces needs to be thoroughly cleaned before cutting any meat. I use a small knife to do this cutting and then set it aside not to be used to cut anything else.

6-At the bottom or point of the “V”, pull with one hand and using your skinning knife, skin with the other pulling the “V” shaped skin upward and then over to the back side making sure not to cut anything containing fluid. Sows are easier, but boars you want to make sure to cut between his junk and abdomen, keeping it attached to the skin you are removing and folding it over to the back side of the hog. I work the skin back over to the other side and with the small knife, I cut around the rectal area detaching it from the hide but leaving it attached to the animal. You do not want to just cut the intestine having it drop inside the body cavity. You can also open up the stomach at the top between the rear legs now and this can help to see what all is going on. Sounds worse than it is. Once you do it the first time, it is easier to understand. The main thing is to keep the edible meat away from the non-edible bacteria infested feces.

7-Starting at its rear legs, continue to skin the critter working your way down pulling with one hand and working the knife with the other. I trim as much fat as I can off with the skin. The fat is where the gamey flavor is and I don’t care for it. But you don’t want to lose meat on the hide either. Use the pliers if you want to. I never use them. I just grab with my hands.

8-Now you have a skinned animal missing its head and front hooves. Now is a good time to put the gut bucket under the animal if you have not already. At the top between the back legs, open the abdomen up careful not to cut or puncture anything inside the cavity. Using the gut hook on the skinning knife, cut downward till you hit the rib cage exposing all its entrails while letting them fall into the gut bucket on their own. I use a muck bucket that is used for feeding horses. It has an opening of about two foot and handles. It works great.

9-Using the loppers cut open the pelvis. Using the rectal knife, cut away the rectum and pull between the hind legs keeping constant control of it as to not spill or touch the meat on its way to the gut bucket. Open up the rib cage down the middle allowing the remaining intestines and organs to empty into the gut bucket.

10-Remove the blackstrap and tender loins using a good, sharp knife and put them in the cooler.

11-At this point, it depends on the situation as to which direction I go. Normally, I finish processing at a later time so I cut the hog in half-length ways with the hand saw. I then cut the back legs with the loppers and place both halves into the cooler and cover with ice.

I have also gone straight into deboning while it is hanging up, leaving the entire skeleton of the animal intact minus the rib cage. 

Just remember that hogs have glands that need to be removed. In the neck, front, and rear legs tucked inside the meat. It resembles hardened fat and is white in color. When deboning they are easy to spot.

John: And that is pretty much it. The best procedure to use is the one that works best for you. If you have any input, please add them in the comments. That is one thing about hunters; they usually are willing to help each other out any way they can.

Aaron: And if some dickweed talks down to you or shows you how to do it “right”, just remember the famous words that Robert Downy Jr. once said: “Smile, Listen, Agree, and then do whatever the fuck you wanted to do anyway.” Later.

Waiting to hear from you

I have decided to give the ole blog a face lift as you have noticed. I got really busy awhile back with work, school, and family and kind of quit posting on a regular basis. And I noticed something. It seemed that all I ever posted about was complaints and grips: all negative.

I have tried and succeeded in changing my attitude and outlook on life in these last few years. I try not to spread “negativity” anymore; even though it is a lot more comical than the alternative most times. But nonetheless, it just isn’t healthy…or helpful; thus bringing me to my next chapter in my life and on this blog.

I am going to leave the name the same but that is about the only thing that is going to stay the same. I am turning this blog into; get this, a help column. Okay. Now that you have stopped laughing clean your drink off the floor and wall.

But there is going to be a twist. I will have help in answer your questions and solving life’s biggest problems. There will be two of us responding to every question and situation. As some of you know, Aaron is my middle name and he is my alter ego, a split personality if you will. Oh, it is not as bad as it seems. Just think of it as a two-for-one bargain.

I do not live to blog. I get to it when I get to it but I promise I will answer life’s toughest questions for you without ANY sugar coating. And when times are slow, I’ll just pick something from the news and give you our opinions. But I would love to hear from you. But I will warn you up front. Do not ask a question you do not want to know the answer to. You can put your name or leave it anonymous. Just leave the question in the comments or e-mail me.

Let the games begin.

Something worth reading

Read this and wanted to pass it on.

There comes a time in your life when you finally get it... When in the midst of all your fears and insanity you stop dead in your tracks and somewhere the voice inside your head cries out- ENOUGH! Enough fighting and crying or struggling to hold on. And, like a child quieting down after a blind tantrum, your sobs begin to subside, you shudder once or twice, you blink back your tears and through a mantle of wet lashes you begin to look at the world from a new perspective. This is your awakening.

You realize that it is time to stop hoping and waiting for something, or someone, to change or for happiness, safety and security to come galloping over the next horizon. You come to terms with the fact that there aren’t always fairytale endings (or beginnings for that matter) and that any guarantee of "happily ever after " must begin with you. Then a sense of serenity is born of acceptance.

So you begin making your way through the "reality of today" rather than holding out for the "promise of tomorrow." You realize that much of who you are, and the way you navigate through life is, in great part, a result of all the social conditioning you’ve received over the course of a lifetime. And you begin to sift through all the nonsense you were taught about:

how you should look and how much you should weigh
what you should wear and where you should shop
where you should live or what type of car you should drive
who you should sleep with and how you should behave
who you should marry and why you should stay
the importance of having children or what you owe your family
Slowly you begin to open up to new worlds and different points of view. And you begin reassessing and redefining who you are and what you really believe in. And you begin to discard the doctrines you have outgrown, or should never have practiced to begin with.

You accept the fact that you are not perfect and that not everyone will love, appreciate or approve of who or what you are... and that’s OK... they are entitled to their own views and opinions. And, you come to terms with the fact that you will never be a size 5 or a "perfect 10" Or a perfect human being for that matter. So you stop trying to compete with the image inside your head or agonizing over how you compare. And you take a long look at yourself in the mirror and you make a promise to give yourself the same unconditional love and support you give so freely to others. Then a sense of confidence is born of self-approval.

And, you stop maneuvering through life merely as a "consumer" hungry for your next fix, a new dress, another pair of shoes or looks of approval and admiration from family, friends or even strangers who pass by. Then you discover that it is truly in giving that we receive and that the joy and abundance you seek grows out of the giving. And you recognize the importance of "creating" & "contributing" rather than "obtaining " & "accumulating."

And you give thanks for the simple things you’ve been blessed with; things that millions of people upon the face of the earth can only dream about a full refrigerator, clean running water, a soft warm bed and the freedom to pursue your own dreams.

And then you begin to love and to care for yourself. You stop engaging in self-destructive behaviors including participating in dysfunctional relationships. You begin eating a balanced diet, drinking more water and exercising. And because you’ve learned that fatigue drains the spirit and creates doubt and fear, you give yourself permission to rest. And just as food is fuel for the body, laughter is fuel for the spirit and so you make it a point to create time for play.

Then you learn about love and relationships, how to love, how much to give in love, when to stop giving and when to walk away. And you allow only the hands of a lover who truly loves and respects you to glorify you with his touch. You learn that people don’t always say what they mean or mean what they say, intentionally or unintentionally and that not everyone will always come through and interestingly enough, it’s not always about you. So, you stop lashing out and pointing fingers or looking to place blame for the things that were done to you or weren’t done for you. And you learn to keep your Ego in check and to acknowledge and redirect the destructive emotions it spawns; anger, jealousy and resentment.

You learn how to say I was wrong and to forgive people for their own human frailties. You learn to build bridges instead of walls and about the healing power of love as it is expressed through a kind word, a warm smile or a friendly gesture. And, at the same time, you eliminate any relationships that are hurtful or fail to uplift and edify you. You stop working so hard at smoothing things over and setting your needs aside. You learn that feelings of entitlement are perfectly OK and that it is your right to want or expect certain things. And you learn the importance of communicating your needs with confidence and grace. You learn that the only cross to bear is the one you choose to carry and that eventually martyrs are burned at the stake. Then you learn to distinguish between guilt, and responsibility and the importance of setting boundaries and learning to say NO. You learn that you don’t know all the answers, it’s not your job to save the world and that sometimes you just need to Let Go.

Moreover, you learn to look at people as they really are and not as you would want them to be, and you are careful not to project your neediness or insecurities onto a relationship. You learn that you will not be, more beautiful, more intelligent, more lovable or important because of the man on your arm or the child that bears your name. You learn that just as people grow and change, so it is with love and relationships and that that not everyone can always love you the way you would want them to. So you stop appraising your worth by the measure of love you are given. And suddenly you realize that it’s wrong to demand that someone live their life or sacrifice their dreams just to serve your needs, ease your insecurities, or meet "your " standards and expectations. You learn that the only love worth giving and receiving is the love that is given freely without conditions or limitations. And you learn what it means to love. So you stop trying to control people, situations and outcomes. You learn that "alone" does not mean "lonely" and you begin to discover the joy of spending time "with yourself" and "on yourself." Then you discover the greatest and most fulfilling love you will ever know. Self Love. And so, it comes to pass that through understanding your heart heals; and now all new things are possible.

Moving along, you begin to avoid Toxic people and conversations. And you stop wasting time and energy rehashing your situation with family and friends. You learn that talk doesn’t change things and that unrequited wishes can only serve to keep you trapped in the past. So, you stop lamenting over what could or should have been and you make a decision to leave the past behind. Then you begin to invest your time and energy to affect positive change. You take a personal inventory of all your strengths and weaknesses and the areas you need to improve in order to move ahead. You set your goals and map out a plan of action to see things through.

You learn that life isn’t always fair and you don’t always get what you think you deserve and you stop personalizing every loss or disappointment. You learn to accept that sometimes bad things happen to good people and that these things are not an act of God... but merely a random act of fate.

And you stop looking for guarantees because you’ve learned that the only thing you can really count on is the unexpected and that whatever happens, you’ll learn to deal with it. And you learn that the only thing you must truly fear is the great robber baron of all time FEAR itself. So you learn to step right into and through your fears because to give into fear is to give away the right to live life on your terms. You learn that much of life truly is a self-fulfilling prophesy and you learn to go after what you want and not to squander your life living under a cloud of indecision or feelings of impending doom.

Slowly, you begin to take responsibility for yourself by yourself and you make yourself a promise to never betray yourself and to never ever settle for less than your heart’s desire. Then a sense of power is born of self-reliance. And you live with honor and integrity because you know that these principles are not the outdated ideals of a by-gone era but the mortar that holds together the foundation upon which you must build your life. And you make it a point to keep smiling, to keep trusting and to stay open to every wonderful opportunity and exciting possibility. Then you hang a wind chime outside your window to remind yourself what beauty there is in Simplicity.

Finally, with courage in your heart and with God by your side you take a stand, you FAKE a deep breath and you begin to design the life you want to live as best as you can

A word about the Power of Prayer: In some of my darkest, most painful and frightening hours, I have prayed not for the answers to my prayers or for material things but for my "God" to help me find the strength, confidence and courage to persevere; to face each day and to do what I must do.

Remember this: "You are an expression of the almighty. The spirit of God resides within you and moves through you. Open your heart, speak to that spirit and it will heal and empower you." My "God" has never failed me.

Later.

Triple Digits!

I have now lost over 100 pounds! Actually, I have lost more than this, but I started keeping records on MyFitnessPal at 300lbs. I lost 15 or so before we started the biggest loser contest at work. I got down to 215 and Steve at work asked "why don't you get below 200?" So I figured I was this close I might as well. I tell you, the last five pounds have been the hardest. Later.

Material Success

The American businessman was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat
with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellowfin tuna. The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them. The Mexican replied, "only a little while."

The American then asked why he didn't stay out longer and catch more fish. The Mexican said that he had enough to support his family's immediate needs. The American then asked, "But what do you do with the rest of your time?" The Mexican fisherman said, "I sleep late, fish a little,
play with my children, take siesta with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos, I have a full and busy life, señor."

The American scoffed, "I am a Harvard MBA and could help you. You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds buy a bigger boat. With the proceeds from the bigger boat, you could buy several boats. Eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your
catch to a middleman, you would sell directly to the processor, eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing and distribution. "You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then LA and eventually NYC where you will run your expanding enterprise."

The Mexican fisherman asked, "But señor, how long will this all take?" To which the American replied, "15-20 years."

"But what then, señor?" The American laughed and said that's the best part. When the time is right you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich, you would make millions.

"Millions, señor? Then what?" The American said, "Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take siesta with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos."

I found the above and it made me stop and think. What do I/you consider to be success? At what point in our lives do we "have enough stuff"? At what point do we enjoy what we have and not want what we don't have? Something to think about. Later.

Later.

Purging-it is not just for crawfish before you boil them

Over the holidays, my wife made me watch more fluff/reality shows than any man should have to endure. But one of them stood out as actually educational. Not sure what the name of it was but it consisted of frugal/cheapskates and how they live life by spending less money than most. A lot of the ideas were just ridicules, some were undo able due to living outside the city, but one idea in particular got me to thinking. So Cheryl and I talked and decided to give it try.

One fellow on the show talked about how his family does a "financial purge" from time to time. Basically, for one week the whole family does not spend any money. No going out to eat, no movies, no extras...no spending. So we did it. After this holiday's spending spree, it was the perfect time to stop spending; especially on the extras that we really didn't need. So, starting at noon last Friday, I quit spending money. We usually go shopping on Sunday after church for groceries but we passed on it last week. The point was to eat and use what we already had but usually passed on because we had other things we preferred. Cheryl cooked several nights and surprisingly we survived just fine without our weeks supply of groceries and other items.

There were several items I would have just picked up on the way home but didn't. I figured if I still needed it Friday, then I would go and get it. It was a good learning experience. I plan on doing this more often in the future. Maybe even a week every month. But even if you spend money on groceries, that is not the point. It is the extras that I wanted to cut back on and I did. Imagine, still having your paycheck in the account when you get the next paycheck. It was nice. I had a note due so I paid extra on it with the money I saved. It was a win-win for me.

So do yourself a favor and perform a financial purge yourself. You may just get something out of it that you can use all year long. Later.

Know your enemy

I have what some folks may consider a problem: I can't let things go. What I mean is if someone pisses me off, I can't just get mad/get over it and let it go. I never believed in "getting even" either. I always said "I'll get ahead".

Saturday we were headed to Sulphur to help a friend from work flip a trailer over with the tractor that he had been working on. I stopped by the local car wash to rinse off the tractor since the last time I used it was to bush hog and it was covered in dust. The owner of the car wash watched as I pulled into a bay and met me by the tractor. He proceeded to tell me I couldn't wash the mud off the tractor. The mud clogs the drain. We discussed/argued for a couple of minutes back and forth of rather or not I could wash the tractor there. I mentioned to him that this is a car wash; people don't bring clean cars to wash them. He told me that is was a car wash, not a tractor wash. I told him I was just going to rinse the tractor off and not clean out the bucket which had a couple of shovels worth of mud in it. He mumbled and grumbled as he walked off and I washed the tractor off. He was a real prick about the whole thing.

But it got to me. The more that I thought about it the more I just couldn't let it go. He could have handled it differently. He could have asked versus being a dick. Now, one good thing I can do is wait. I do not have to execute my attack immediately. I can take months to plan out just how I will get someone or a company back. So, today I went to the deer lease to sight in a rifle and do a little squirrel hunting. Normally, I get a little mud on the tires of the Tahoe running the logging roads at the lease. But today, I went mud ridding. There are plenty of mud holes to get the ole gal good and muddy and I didn't pass a mud hole without letting those Fierce Attitude mud tires eat away at some good ole gumbo mud and red clay. Of course, after a good day of mud ridding one must clean their vehicle off.

I pulled into the car wash with half of Beauregard parish stuck to my truck. $1 later, I left with a clean car from the car wash and a smile on my face. To make it even sweeter, someone left two dollars in quarters next to the controls. So not only did I get my satisfaction but I also made a profit. But I reckon the best of it all, was when I passed the security camera, I stopped, looked dead at it and said slowly "it ain't a tractor...it's a car". He underestimated his opponent. Never piss off a fool with more time and quarters than he has common sense. There is no telling what he will do to prove his point. Later.

Just an update

Everyone asks me "how much weight are you gonna lose?" You know, I really didn't have a weight goal when I started. Since I started I wanted to get under an eighth-of-a-ton. (250 lbs) Now I am below that and wasn’t sure when to stop losing. I have lost between 80-90 lbs since I started losing earlier this year. One thing that still amazes me is my new pants size. I have never been able to shop in the “normal people” side of the store. Now I wear a 38” waist. A 38 INCH WAIST! Unbelievable. I could care less what the poundage is. I never thought I could get to this size waist. But I am at the point now that I am not trying to lose weight but trying to maintain where I am currently. I want to tone up and bulk up if I can; but most importantly not gain it back. I never want to go back to that old lifestyle. I was obese for the last 27 years out of my 36 years on this earth. That is a heck of a bad habit to break and I constantly worry about slipping back. I plan on continuing to log everything in myfitnesspal for as long as it takes; the rest of my life is fine with me. I find myself logging food down before I eat it or while it is being prepared or heated up. It is not an inconvenience that one might think it is once you get accustomed to it.

Three things helped me get where I am today. 1-God: I have prayed everyday for help and guidance and he has certainly blessed me with both. 2-The Diet Solution: Isabelle gave me the knowledge of how to eat including what size portions, how often, and what foods to eat together and which foods to stay away from. And last but not least 3-MyFitnessPal: I could have never done it without some way of logging everything down. I never realized what and how much I was eating until keeping track and seeing it every day on myfitnesspal. With the computer and iPhone, it is so easy to do. I would gladly pay good money to use this service that is free.

Anyway, little more than I planned on for an update, but you get the point. Whatever you do, don’t give up. It is worth it in the end. And if I, someone who has been overweight since elementary school, can do it…you can too. Any questions, just ask. I will gladly share my experiences with you of what worked and did not work for me. I hope and pray that all of you have a happy and glorious Christmas. Later.

Younger folks will get it. Later.

Life

Just settled down to watch some SOA. This season started slow but is really getting good now. SOA and Secret Life are about the only TV shows I plan my evening around to watch. Been really busy lately-I put together a metal building kit I bought from Mueller Buildings in Orange. Chris helped me a few days and it went together really easy. I was surprised at how easy it was to put together as far as fitting was concerned. No field modifications were required. Their instructions are a little vague at best. One manual covers all buildings and it contradicts itself numerous times. But a couple of weekends and a tractor with a front end loader or a lifting device of some sort are all you need.

I've done pretty good on the weight loss goals. I never really had a specific weight goal in pounds-just to be healthy. I was at 300 when I started keeping track and was down to 224 a few weeks ago. I bounce around 225 and 226. Still watching everything I eat and continue to log down everyday, every meal. I am where I want to be for the most part. Need to get into better shape for the most part but size wise, I am happy where I am. Trim down the gut and tone up are my plans. 223 pounds of twisted steel and sex appeal works for me baby.

Still can't get motivated to exercise though. Planned on doing something all day when I got home but after a quick project outside before the dark and rain set in, I have not done much other than surf the web. I am still searching for that "fun" activity that could be considered exercise but have not found it yet. And with it getting dark so early in the afternoons, outdoor activities are ruled out. Been debating on joining a local gym...maybe that is the push I need to get moving. Later.

Haha. Later.

Later.