Posts by axejudge

After a month-long hiatus, I'm back!  I was at a convention at the beginning of October, and I decided to see if I could do this without logging in everything.  After a month, I've gained back 5 pounds, so I need to go back to what I was doing.  I guess I wasn't keeping myself accountable enough!

It's been a warm, beautiful weekend so far.  I ran some errands and went to a party tonight (yes, I ingested a bunch of empty calories - I'm a little tipsy as I write this).

I'm glad to see you all again!

If you have any heart issues, or a family history of heart issues (whether you've manifested any yet or not) dentists will generally prescribe antibiotics before any procedure where there may be bleeding.  

Why?  Because your mouth is a dirty place, sad to say, full of bacteria.  Some of them are regular members of the crowd that shares your body - but they are meant to stay out of your bloodstream.  If they get in, they could cause damage to your heart, in the muscle itself or its valves.  This could lead to cardiomyopathy and/or congestive heart failure.

Why do I know all this?  Because I've had to take prophylactic antibiotics before root canals for years, due to the high levels of heart disease in the family.  They're taking no chances.

Hello everyone.  I have big news.

I haven't been doing my workouts much recently, because I had some serious studying to do.  That is now over.

I passed my final.  I am approved for ordination in my church.  Date for my ceremony:  August 23.

I'm gonna be a minister!

*drops to floor in shock*

Original Post by jasmine62:

Axe I can smell the cherries here Oh how I wish you could bake me a pie & send it here.  Cherry pie is one of my weaknesses.  You can have the apple but cherry *starting to drool thinking of it*

 I agree.  Apple pie does nothing for me.  Cherry though - oh yeah.

A friend wants to barter, and I think I'll take her up on that.  She has herbs, lettuce, and zucchini.

Original Post by justamom:

Hey axe - whatcha' home brewin? Something good?

I make all sorts of things; I needed corks and small bottles for some of my experiments, which include varietal honey meads (orange blossom and buckwheat honeys) and sorrel wine.

Hello out there, everyone!

I'm back after a weekend with a houseguest/friend.  He knows I like chocolate, so he brought me a bunch, which I will have to dole out in tiny quantities (lasts longer, and just a few calories won't hurt, will they?).

Got some exercise mowing the lawn (finally, a day without rain!  it's been 3 weeks of regular soakings).  It was a toasty day, so I had to stop frequently and cool down/drink more water, but it looks great now!

Went to Costco and bought a TON of fresh berries - raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries (my friend promptly bagged up a mess of the blueberries to eat on his trip home).  I love berries so much! 

Made a curried tofu-avocado dip that is so delicious!  And not bad on the calories, either!  The chips, on the other hand . . .  Well, it would work with veggies too.

alylou - I have projects going all the time.  If I'm not making a costume, I'm knitting a sweater or doing some art or making some regular clothes for myself.  We've got a meeting tomorrow to discuss hatmaking.

My friend, having done all that he can regarding his sister's estate, is finally on his way back through town as he heads home, so I'll be providing some last little bit of support.

I now need to study for my final exam in seminary.  If I want to be ordained in August, I've got to take the test in the next couple of weeks (and pass, of course).  I also have one more class to teach, and a sermon to write.

And somewhere in here, I really need to clean the house and, if the weather would stay dry for a moment, mow the lawn.

I can't run for very long myself.  I get above my target heartrate zone.  It's something they say you have to work into.  For example, try running for 30 seconds, then walking for 3 minutes, and repeat.  As you get fitter, increase the time you run while decreasing the time you walk; eventually you're just running.

Got up early today, put on a new costume I finished WAAAYY too late last night, and went to a photo shoot with my costuming friends at the botanical garden.  Got my exercise - walked for 3 hours, taking pictures of one another.  Now my legs are tired, but it was a great time.  The weather was *perfect* - around 70 degrees, light wind, partly sunny.  So nice.  Then gathered at a friend's apartment for lunch and talk.

cantlose - acupuncture isn't particularly uncomfortable, really; the needles are very fine, and are only inserted a tiny amount into the skin.  The vast majority of them I don't even feel go in - but yes, if your energy is particularly off in an area the needle can sting a bit, and if the doctor is going for some of the deeper points the needles are slightly thicker and longer, so if you're *really* hesitant about needles, think carefully.  I don't care for needles in general; don't look when I'm getting a shot, or if I'm getting blood drawn - I'd just tense up and make things worse - but this is different, and doesn't bother me the same way.  

It does cause a release of endorphins, BTW, which are very relaxing.  I find the drive home afterwards very pleasant.

I've been slowly dropping the weight I gained over vacation (yay!) and can hopefully be back on track by next week.  I have to consider this, though; if I lose a bunch of weight between now and October, the costume I just finished won't fit and will have to be taken apart and reconstructed, which will be a pain (I plan on competing it again this fall at a different competition; since it didn't win anything this time, it's eligible).  It's annoying to have to choose between making a lot of extra work for myself by getting slimmer and taking the easy path of just maintaining, but at a weight that's still higher than I'd like ideally.

truus and cantlose - Acupuncture, like other modalities that work on restoring the proper flow of fluids or energy in the body, work to help your body eliminate wastes your body has been storing, whether that be lactic acid in your muscles, sluggish lymphatic fluid, or whatever.  As those wastes work to leave your system, your body naturally wants water to help flush them out.

Costs vary; I have acupuncture done each quarter as the seasons change, to keep my immune system strong and deal with any acute problem that surfaces.  A 20 minute session, where I am liberally coated in needles, runs $60.  I find it very relaxing.

Hey, I'm only responsible for the costume I was wearing; everyone else did their own.  I am pretty proud of that outfit, though.  Thanks for the kind words!

When I'm crazy busy like now, it gets more tempting to fix something quick for dinner that isn't good for me, but so far I've fought the urge to cheat.  Gotta clear out the fridge before I leave town, though, so it's time to cook up the fresh stuff I have.

Original Post by truus:

Axe - we're all in here together for good times AND bad times so you just let it all out!  What will you be dressed as then? Photo's possible? Just in case you could ask the photographer to start at the knees  Serieous trouble with your house?

If I really let it all out you'd hear the scream even where you are!  

I have several outfits I'm trying to finish; the main one is, well, hard to explain . . . imagine a goth 18th century dress in black and hot pink, with a short underskirt and hot pink/black striped stockings and matching clip-on dreadlocks.  The shoes that are supposed to with this dress have been a saga of their own - including my contacting my credit card company to contest the charge (due to goods not delivered), as well as registering a complaint with the Better Business Bureau.  (I have re-ordered the shoes from a different seller.)

Another outfit looks like a caftan designed to make you look like a manta ray.

IF (a big if) I have time, I have a pattern for a 19th century bicycling outfit I'd love to get done as well, but that could wait until a photoshoot 2 weeks after the convention.

As for the house - let's just say I'm fighting a fine from the city for violations I corrected BEFORE the fine was issued.  It's their error, and I'm not paying it.

I haven't had much to say - how many ways can you say, "I didn't lose weight - AGAIN!"   Been stuck for 6 weeks.  I need to up my exercise, but that's just not going to happen right now - I have too much else on my plate with deadlines to even consider carving out more exercise time.

I originally gained weight because of hormonal fluctuations after my hysterectomy.  I got heavier because I'm an emotional eater - the stress right now is really trying my resolve to not do that!

What I eat seems to be okay now, so it's just a matter of moving as much as possible.  If I didn't log my calories, though, it would be easy to end up with too many calories going in, as my suggested intake is low (1350).

Original Post by cantlose:

Yeah Axe See I kept my fingers crossed ALL day for you!!!!

Also I want you to know that you have made me very curious(nosey) about whats up with you and the police dept......hint hint....I know I HAVE no life!

I have had one of those not stopped even to eat days....my back is killing me and I'm not even hungry.....I know I should eat but it sure would be nice to have a 190 calorie day!

I will probably gain another lb if I don't eat anything.....oops I'm sounding discouraged again......

You sure you want to know?  Well, okay.

My house has been broken into a couple of times.  The attitude of the police has been pathetic; not only did they not show any sympathy (and I mean not just maintaining their professionalism, but actively dismissive), only sent an evidence technician reluctantly, and basically said, in so many words, "We aren't going to solve this crime, so we don't want to put any energy into trying."  Basically, if no one was bleeding or dead, they really didn't give a ****.

After I had said this during a previous jury pool I was in, and a group of us were not chosen, one of the others, who happened to be African-American, came to me and said he couldn't believe I had said what I did.  I asked him if he thought only black people ever got shafted by the police, and he said, "Yeah."  Well, guess what?  It's not about the color; it's about the Benjamins.  You bet your *** that if I lived in a swanky suburb I wouldn't have been treated like that, and that really makes me angry.

*exhales deeply*

Sorry.  I just hate being dismissed like I was dirt.