It's not luck

I knew a kid in high school who had childhood diabetes. He had to carry a special bag with him where ever he went and on more than one occasion, I've seen him shoot up insulin. As I've always been scared of needles, I did a little research.

The first thing that I found out was it's not contagious. But unluckily for me, it's an inherited disease. I found out that there are two types, the childhood type, which is bad luck, and the adult type, which is usually caused by obesity.

I've seen a lot of diabetics since then with missing legs. That really scared me, because I walk everywhere. Walking gives me time to think.

One thing I love about California is people here love the outdoors. We have an outdoors club at work, where a bunch of us go on long hikes. California puts aside a lot of acreage for outdoor lovers, which is really cool.

There's a girl at work who went with us once and complained that the hikes are too haaaard. So, she won't be joining us in the future which is too bad for me because her excess fat is in all the right places (for now at least), so she's always fun to walk behind.

The other day, she saw me eat lunch and was appalled by how much I ate. I did a post on losing weight awhile ago and I explained that you should have large breakfasts and lunches, but small dinners if you want to lose weight (or keep it off). Before I could explain that to her, she said "you're so lucky you could eat a lot and still be slim."

It's not luck, babe. For one, calories in versus calories out. I do a lot of exercising. It's not because I'm vain and want to have that California beautiful body. It's simply going back to the diabetes thing. I have it in my family, so I can't take chances with being fat. Or kind of like the old story of the guy who only started jogging after his father died of a heart attack.

I since then set her straight. It actually is one of my pet peeves to be told I'm lucky I'm slim, because nothing could be further than the truth. It's hard work, and I don't want to die just yet.

Now, I'm not a health nut. I hate health food and won't step foot in one of those health restaurants. Their food sucks and their clientele smell bad. I'll eat organic when the price is within reason, but if it's 25% more, I'll eat the pesticides instead. Plus, you know how much I love Carl's Jr, which I found out recently the burger I like has 920 calories in the burger alone. Yummy, but not something to do more than once a week.

It all goes back to calories in versus calories out. What I consume, I burn off. I've always been thin and always will be, because I'm simply too active not to be. I am thankful to have been given a somewhat healthy body and to have fully recovered from my past injuries. I can't take chances with my weight though because of the family diabetes history.

What's that guy up to?

What am I reading?

Harry Potter 6 again. I read the book in one day, the first day it was out. I've been reading nothing but non-fiction (historical stuff) lately and needed a break from it.

What am I listening to?

Currently Garbage's Beautiful Garbage is in the car. I hated it at first but it grew on me. I still think Version 2.0 is better though. Lately, it's been HIM's Deep Shadows and Brilliant Highlights which I absolutely love.

What's my current guilty pleasure?

I've been eating Carl's Jr's Double Bacon Greaseburger once a week since working at where I currently work at. I think it's because I'm so used to eating healthy that I have to sin once a week.

Plus, I like this particular one. There's a half-retarded guy who right now really inspires me. As cheesy as this sounds, he loves his job and I'm trying to learn to love my job as much as he loves his.

I'm really trying to change the way I look at things, trying to enjoy simplicity. I was talking to my boss today and we talked about success. We agreed that contrary to popular opinion, it's not the one with the most toys. It's the one who appreciates what they have.

That brings me back to the half-retarded guy. He enjoys his job. I've seen him walk to work and he looks like he doesn't have much, but he seems to enjoy what he has. More power to him, and that's what I'm currently shooting for.

What am I watching?

The recent movie I watched was Jarhead. I actually thought it was not bad.

What's for dinner?

Giada's marinara sauce over pasta with shrimp which I'll do a quick fry with olive oil and garlic cloves.

Why am I laughing

Because a friend of mine sent me this joke. It's not very politically correct, but you all know how I feel about political correctness. Here goes:

An Irish daughter had not been home for over 5 years. Upon her return, her father cussed her.

"Where have ye been all this time? Why did ye not write to us, not even a line? Why didn't ye call? Can ye not understand what ye put yer old mum thru? "

The girl, crying, replied, "Sniff, sniff....dad....I became a prostitute....."

"Ye what!!? Out of here, ye shameless harlot!

Sinner! You're a disgrace to this family."

"OK, dad-- as ye wish. I just came back to give mum this luxurious fur coat, title deed to a ten bedroom mansion plus a savings certificate for $5 million.

For me little brother, this gold Rolex and for ye daddy, the sparkling new Mercedes limited edition convertible that's parked outside plus a membership to the country club....(takes a breath)....and an invitation for ye all to spend New Years Eve on board my new yacht in the Riviera, and....."

"Now what was it ye said ye had become?" says dad.

Girl, crying again, "Sniff, sniff....a prostitute dad!" Sniff, sniff.

"Oh! Be Jesus! Ye scared me half to death, girl! I thought ye said a Protestant. Come here and give yer old man a hug!"

These people are not zombies

Several people have been asking me just what will cause the zombie plague. I've been asked everything from Cold War virus experimentation to Amway salesmen. Let me dismiss some rumors and get things straight.

The virus that causes the zombie plague has been around for thousands of years. It's not something created in a test tube last century during the Cold War.

Amway people are not zombies. Although they act strange and you want to get away from them just as fast as you want to get away from zombies, they're still not zombies. Sure, their lectures will bore you to tears as they drone on for hours about all the people besides you who are getting rich doing the Amway thing. But they are not zombies, so don't go shooting them in the head when they come to your door.

Scientologists are not zombies. Sure, they're a weird cult, but weird cults have been around for thousands of years. Scientologists worship some space alien. They do not go around trying to eat people's brains although they may have eaten Tom Cruise's brain. The Zombieslayer Institute of Technology is still researching that.

Communists are not zombies. Yeah, I've seen textbooks too where during the Cultural Revolution, Communists worked themselves into such a frenzy that they killed and ate hundreds of "enemies of the state." Those are not zombies though, they're Communists. Communists just do things like that.

Voodoo zombies are not true zombies either. If I'm not mistaken, voodoo zombies are created by a tetrodotoxin from a pufferfish plus a smattering of secret herbs and spices that only voodoo priests and Colonel Sanders know. They are brain dead and animated by the voodoo priest, but they are not true zombies. Zombieism is a virus.

So folks, keep your blades sharpened, keep practicing your head shots, and store plenty of food and water.

It's been one year today, and what a year it's been. Thanks for all the fond memories.