Anxiety Triggers

Would you believe technology?  Yes.  I've realized it's one of my triggers.  I don't understand it.  I don't understand the cloud.  I don't understand much about how computers work and all the lingo.  I don't understand how apple id's work very well.  Getting a new phone scares the shit out of me because I don't really know how to sync anything or back it up so I'm worried i'll lose all my contacts and information.

Somehow it always manages to stick around, minus a few apps.  But God help me if it signs me out of my gmail account on the mail app.  

When my wife asks me to transfer photos from her phone to the computer I freak out.  Can I do it?  Sure.  But I don't really know what I'm doing and I don't want to save them to the computer and use up space, but I can't figure out how to get them to an external hard drive.  And then what?  They just stay there.  For how long?  I worry about what we are going to do with all our photos.  I wonder if the kids will even care.

They will grow up in a time when they will see so many pictures of themselves they might not even care to look at them.  And will they want to sort through hundreds of thousands of photos?  Probably not.  How do we decide which ones to save?  I guess they'll never know which ones we got rid of though!

And then lets talk about programs for kids.  Ours are getting to the age that we want to sign them up for some things.  Where do we learn about these programs?  What if we miss the sign ups?

I feel like there are so many options for stuff to do out there that it makes some people just want to not do anything.  The paradox of choice is overwhelming and we end up with decision fatigue.

Speaking of kids, screaming, running, loud and crazy kids would always trigger my anxiety too.  Someone will get hurt.  I had to keep them all under control so that didn't happen.  Anyone with kids knows that does't really work.

I also realized that I am a huge words of affirmation guy.  Or just words guy.  I like to communicate.  So what would happen was that if I didn't hear from someone that I tho
ught I should be in communication with, I would assume they were upset or unhappy with something I did or was doing.

And lets not forget parenting.  Worrying about screwing my kids up.

Thankfully...I got on some new anti-anxiety meds about 2.5 months ago and have finally been able to recognize some of these triggers.  It's made life much better.

Anxiety is a real thing.  It's not just an emotion.  It's not just worry.  It's at times crippling.

25% ain't bad

First off...I should not have just created a Bone, Thugs & Harmony radio station on Pandora.  I'm incredibly distracted right now by the incredible sounds of Notorious Thugs.  Typically I listen to the sounds of Volcano Choir, The Oh Hellos, Lord Huron, Bon Iver,  Radical Face, and several others on my Indie Folk Revival Pandora station.  It's easier just to listen to that in the background.

Secondly, when you go in public today, remember that only 1 out of every 4 registers voters voted for Trump.  So basically just about 25% of Americans.

Also, the same percentage of people voted in the 2016 as they did in the 2012 election.  Roughly 55%.

So 3 out of 4 registered voters either don't care that Trump is president or voted against Trump.

I wonder how that feels for the President that is Donald Trump.  I don't think it's a shocker to him.  But I wonder what he feels knowing that 75% of of voters either don't care he's in office or oppose him.

I'm curious to see what the next 4 years brings.  Ironically...Gangsta's Paradise just came on.

I started listening to a new podcast yesterday with Adam Carolla.  It's called Car Cast.  He was talking about how comfortable our lives are.  That we even have things like pajamas that double as blankets and inflatable penis's.   So he's decided to do things that force him to be uncomfortable.  Like do cold water immersion.  Must be rough, walking out your backdoor to the pool.  Maybe you should try driving to a lake or pond and jump in even colder water.  In one of your million dollar cars.

I'm not ripping Carolla, I actually think he has a great point.  Our fight, flight, or freeze response rarely gets activated.  Most of us have no idea what being uncomfortable really is.  Even those of US that struggle with various things, we have lots of access to healthcare and other coping mechanisms.

Anyway....I don't really have a point.  I'm just saying that we maybe out to force ourselves at times to be a little more uncomfortable.  Start taking away some things, do some fasting of sorts.  Just to be prepared.  Just in case....

Do you think you could survive without the internet?  Seriously. Try it for an hour and see how you do.

Automatic Boobs

This one is a little different.  Automatic boobs.  What's this about?  I'm not sure exactly what conversation led to this idea, but I think it's a pretty dang good idea.  

Now, I'm coming at this from a male perspective.  But from what I understand, many women want bigger breasts.  But what I also hear is that bigger breasts are more difficult to deal with when running or doing other aerobic activities.  So.....why not get adjustable size breast implants.  I know I should patent this idea, but I won't.  My record of coming up with it first will remain here.  

Not anymore! Thanks to Adjust'a Boob!

Somewhere on/in the body, depending on which package you purchase, a small pump is placed.  It is connected to a slimly shaped reservoir of whatever fluid is used to enlarge breasts.  That reservoir will be connected via very small tubes to each breast implant.  The pump will be connected via iPhone app and you can adjust the size of your breasts using bluetooth technology.  

When the breasts are drained for workout/running purposes, the fluid will be drawn into the thin reservoir that will be conveniently tucked into your body.  The location of this will be dependent on the body composition of the patient.  The battery for the pump will be able to be charged wirelessly.  Depending on what package you purchase you could have an auxiliary input.  The pump and reservoir would be kept external and you'd attach to your breast using a small connected hidden discreetly somewhere on your body.  Perhaps your belly button.  

Then when you want to go full breast, you pump them back up.  Voila.  The best of both worlds.  

I know...this seems extreme and will probably never happen.  But what a great idea.  I don't imagine we are far off, or maybe even there that we implant devices that can be controlled or adjusted wirelessly. 

There is also a mans version in the making...specifically helpful for those with erectile dysfunction.  

Bonus Blog of the day

I write every day.  I just do.  It's something I started last March 16.  And I've done it EVERY DAY since.

It's hard to find stuff to write about EVERY DAY.

It's hard enough to do something EVERY DAY for almost a year.

Sometimes I write great blogs, sometimes I don't.

EVERY DAY I put myself in a vulnerable position by sharing this stuff.  I've had to apologize multiple times for speaking out of line.  That's a risk I take.  I don't mind apologizing.

I've heard to learn to be ok with being wrong.

I've tried really hard to not intentionally be mean to people or any group.

I've tried really hard to express myself and my feelings in a way that doesn't attack others.

I'm not perfect.

And my blogs are not the entirety of my being.  They are snippets.  Sometimes I write about things so contrary to how I actually feel just to put something on screen.

I may be a prisoner to my habit.

This whole thing has been a learning experience for me.  You can trust me when I say I'm learning about how to approach conflict and concerns in a way that brings people together instead of separating them.  I'm not always good at it...but is anyone?  And if you think you are.....let's see it!

PROVE IT!

Magic? Mystery? Maybe? or Complete Bullshit?

TL, DR.  You don't need to spend $1500-$2000 a year using a "fat burning keto" powder.  

A couple months ago when I started my ketogenic lifestyle and was getting great results I came across a website called...well, I won't tell you.  But I was interested in keto and cycling and it was speaking my language.  That is, until I learned they were pushing a product and not an actual diet and lifestyle change.  And I almost bought into it.  I almost joined another MLM.  I believed it would work.  But then I came to my senses.  And remember that I had vowed to never try to get rich selling products that people don't need.  So I turned it down.

And ever since I've tried to be nice about it because many people are being deceived by it's distributors.

Rewind.  What is a ketogenic diet?  Ketosis is a process which burns creates ketone bodies to use for fuel, alongside burning stored body fat or ingested fat.  It's natural and safe.  Though it is a diet you do need to pay attention to for a while since nobody living today is used to eating this way.  We've mainly been providing energy from carbohydrates for the better part of the last 30-40 years.  This isn't wrong, it's just hard to stop at enough carbs and not overindulge resulting in those excess carbs turning to stored body fat.

But there are some out there using a product called Keto o/s.  It's exogenous ketones.  They put ketones in a packet so you can use them for energy and to put you in a state of ketosis.  It was initially created for Navy Seals to enhance their cognitive ability in intense situations.  I don't argue it can do that.  I've felt the effects of keto on the brain.

Ok...end of the day, because I don't want to spend to much time here.  You don't need Keto o/s.  If you want another expensive "easy" way to lose weight, go for it.  It might work.  I have no idea.  But know that whoever sells it to you is making money off of it and doesn't actually care about your health.  They think they do, but they don't.  I've been in an MLM before and know how it works.

The person that wants to help you get into ketosis naturally is doing it for free.  They stand nothing to gain financially, only helping you get healthier and develop proper eating habits.

It really grinds my gears when people who I've seen lose 60+ pounds over the past 6 months care about their friends and offer their guidance, only to have a  keto o/s salesperson come in and insist they need their product.  YOU DON'T.

In the rare, case, you might.  But you won't know until months or years of attempting keto on your own.  I know a doctor that follows a keto diet and promotes it to all his patients.  He takes keto o/s as a supplement.  Keto o/s is actually marketed as a supplement, by the way.  SUPPLEMENT.  Look it up.  But he doesn't produce a high amount of ketones on his own and cortisol from his stressful job doesn't help.  So he supplements...fine.  He's using the product the right way.  And this is the ONLY way I'd be comfortable selling it.

I don't want to argue that people would get fat loss results with keto o/s.  So if you take it, fine.  If you want to spend around $150-200 a month with this product, fine.  If you want to save money and actually follow a ketogenic diet, let me know.  I'll help you.  It's not a hard diet to follow.  In fact, I often feel like I am cheating with some of the foods I'm allowed to eat.  There is a lot of misinformation about the Ketogenic diet.  It's not magic.  It's not a mystery.  It's what our bodies were designed to do.

But like anything, being healthy takes work with all the options we have for "food" out there.  Especially when a lot of that "food" engages pleasure receptors in our brains.  Then it's not just our bodies that crave certain foods, it's our minds.  That's where the battle lies...it always has.  Our brains.

You know what's not natural?  Eating whatever you want and taking a product that magically burns fat instead of what you just ate.  I'm not saying that's the claim from the company...but that's how I've heard it marketed.  Just be careful.

Do Puppies have Birth Rights?

Today, I wasn't going to go here.  But all the other topics that I had were really low hanging fruit.  From teachers in childrens church telling young kids that they are NOT amazing and that only God is to a white dude equating him paying taxes to people of color still not being free.  These were easy.

Or I could stretch myself and talk about K9 reproductive rights.  Mind you this is all off the top of my head with very minimal "researching" of the topic.  That's something to keep in mind with all my posts.  I'm merely scratching the surface of most things.  Don't just take my word for stuff....

You've heard Bob Barker (kind of ironic, Barker) say at the end of every Price is Right episode reminding everyone to have their pets spayed or neutered.  In doing so, rights given to them by their creator to bear offspring are taken away by you.  You choose that for your pet.  I'm not saying that's right or wrong.  I'm just saying.  I'm certainly all for it.  There would be hellacious amounts of dogs and cats running around if we didn't.   Owning a pet is a privilege.  They cost a lot of money and require a tremendous amount of care and attention.  I'm not saying that to be controversial, I'm just saying.  In order to adopt a pet you have fees and you have to be prequalified by the adoption agency to prove that you are a capable and responsible pet owner.

But what about when you have a dog that does get pregnant?  What if you don't want puppies?  What do you do?  Yes, abortion for dogs is a thing.

Many people just dump the puppies off at a shelter, or worse, the side of some back country road and leave them for dead.  But sometimes, they give them away.  No adoption agency, no fees, no meetings to see if they are responsible.  Nothing.

But what would be better for those puppies in the long term?  You'd spend few months at a dog shelter with 3.9 million other dogs (estimated but approximate number) that have also been dropped off only to have a 2/3 chance of being adopted or survive the next year.  1/3 of those puppies will be killed.  This is probably why Bob Barker encouraged everyone to have their pets spayed or neutered.

So where was I going with all this?  I know some people are pet lovers and will be moved by all of that.  Which is great.  We have a dog, he's old.  15 is very old for a dog.  He's going to die soon and I'd like to get another dog.  But this isn't to encourage everyone to go adopt a dog.

I just wonder if the orphan crisis around the world moves people more than what happens to dogs.  Did you know over 10% of the WORLD'S children aged 11 or under are working as child laborers?  Read that, child slaves.   There are also 140 million children worldwide that are currently orphans.  1 in every 8 babies are born into some time of war/conflict.

Let's take it to America.   There are 400,000 kids in the foster care and about 100,000 waiting to be adopted.  But of those 30,000 age out of foster care every year and lose all benefits.

These are children.  I just hope those that oppose abortion so much, are also doing an equal or greater amount of work to take care of the children that are already alive and don't have families.  But sadly...I don't think that's happening.  And the excuses are a plenty.

This one did stretch me a bit....and it deserves a hell of a lot more time than 20 minutes.  Maybe tomorrow I'll tell you about my experience with orphans.

The Art of the Joke

Well, I guess not so much about jokes.

I think a lot of times ignorance breeds fear.  When we don't understand something it's easier to joke about it or just be afraid of it.  It's almost like the thing becomes less than human.  We can start to try to make sense of the thing we don't understand, or we can just write it off.  Sometimes even joke about it.

I've seen many make jokes about homosexuality, mentally handicapped, transgenderism, black lives matter and many other social constructs.  I believe this jokes come from a misunderstanding and unwillingness to empathize.

It's easier to crack a joke.  It's easier to ignore.  It's easier to find the things that are wrong about others.  It's not easy to walk a mile in their shoes.

And I don't even want to throw jokesters under the bus.  I believe they have some deep hurts and wounds in their own life that they've been avoiding.

This world is vast and complex.  You don't have to understand everything.  You don't have to know the ins and outs of how the world works and how people act.  So when something comes up that you don't understand, that's ok.  You can ignore it and just see people.  There's no room to make jokes belittling people you've never met.  

That's all.  Just think before you make a joke.  People go see comedians because they want to laugh.  They know they are going to hear jokes.  Comedians know everyone in their audience is expecting a joke and nothing is to be taken seriously.  But guess what, jokes can still hurt.  They can still cut at people.  And I don't want to put this on comedians...I know it's not their intent to hurt people.  There is an art to comedy.  There is an art to poke fun at different demographics in a way that builds them up rather than bringing them down.  Many great comedians have figured that out.  That's why they are great.  

I used to not want to go to comedy shows because the first one I went to the comedian, whom I can't remember, made jokes about everyone in the room.  It was awful.  It was a time I needed comedy in my life, laughter is good for the soul.  I was picked on at church, I was picked on at school, and I thought going to see a comedian would be fun.  It was anything but.

I love trying to make people laugh.  But if that laughter is at the expense of someone else, it's not really helping them much is it?