In Memoriam – 2011

In memoriam – 2011.

12/27/11 CHEETAH THE CHIMP FROM 1930S TARZAN FLICKS

12/18/11 NORTH KOREAN LEADER KIM JONG-IL

12/07/11 ACTOR HARRY MORGAN

12/02/11 ‘DELIVERANCE’ MOUNTAIN MAN ACTOR BILL MCKINNEY

11/29/11 COMEDIAN PATRICE O’NEAL

11/15/11 ‘WIZARD OF OZ’ MUNCHKIN KARL SLOVER

11/09/11 ‘FAMILY CIRCUS’ CREATOR BIL KEANE

11/08/11 RAPPER HEAVY D

11/07/11 BOXER SMOKIN’ JOE FRAZIER

11/05/11 JOURNALIST ANDY ROONEY

10/20/11 LIBIYAN DICTATOR MOAMMAR GADHAFI

10/08/11 RAIDERS OWNER AL DAVIS DEAD

10/06/11 CHARACTER ACTOR CHARLES NAPIER

10/05/11 APPLE CEO STEVE JOBS

10/02/11 TV PITCHMAN DONALD LAPRE

09/19/11 DOLORES HOPE, WIDOW OF BOB HOPE

08/23/11 KIMMEL SHOW’S UNCLE FRANK

08/10/11 GRAND OLE OPRY LEGEND BILLY GRAMMER

08/03/11 ‘POLICE ACADEMY’ STAR BUBBA SMITH

07/23/11 SINGER AMY WINEHOUSE

07/15/11 FORMER GERMAN MEDIA MOGUL LEO KIRCH

07/12/11 LEGENDARY TV PRODUCER SHERWOOD SCHWARTZ

07/08/11 BETTY FORD

06/24/11 ‘COLUMBO’ STAR PETER FALK

06/20/11 ‘JACKASS’ STAR RYAN DUNN

06/18/11 E STREET BAND SAXOPHONIST  CLARENCE CLEMONS

06/04/11 EX-SECRETARY OF STATE LAWRENCE EAGLEBURGER

06/03/11 ‘GUNSMOKE’ STAR JAMES ARNESS

06/03/11 ASSISTED SUICIDE ADVOCATE DR. JACK KEVORKIAN

06/01/11 ACTRESS CLARICE TAYLOR

05/27/11 ACTOR JEFF CONAWAY

05/20/11 MACHO MAN RANDY SAVAGE

05/17/11 HALL OF FAMER HARMON KILLEBREW

05/04/11 ACTOR JACKIE COOPER

05/01/11 OSAMA BIN LADEN

04/26/11  MUSICIAN PHOEBE SNOW

04/19/11 MARATHONER GRETE WAITZ

04/09/11 CLASSICAL GUITARIST ROLANDO VALDES-BLAIN

04/09/11 DIRECTOR SIDNEY LUMET

03/26/11 FIRST WOMAN ON U.S. PRESIDENTIAL TICKET, GERALDINE FERRARO

03/23/11 ELIZABETH TAYLOR

03/19/11 BERLIN’S BELOVED POLAR BEAR KNUT

03/19/11 FORMER U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE WARREN CHRISTOPHER

03/17/11 ‘ALFRED’ FROM ‘BATMAN’ MOVIES, MICHAEL GOUGH

03/16/11 RAPPER NATE DOGG

03/13/11 NILLA PIZZI, WINNER OF 1ST SAN REMO SONG FEST

03/08/11 CELEBRITY REHAB PATIENT, ALICE IN CHAINS BASSIST MIKE STARR

02/28/11 STAR OF ’40S AND ’50S FILMS , JANE RUSSELL

02/16/11 UNCLE LEO OF ‘SEINFELD’, LEN LESSER

01/28/11 COMEDIAN CHARLIE CALLAS

01/23/11 FITNESS GURU JACK LALANNE

01/18/11 POLITICIAN AND ACTIVIST ‘SARGENT’ SHRIVER DIES

01/15/11 ACTRESS SUSANNAH YORK

01/11/11 DAVID NELSON, LAST SURVIVING MEMBER OF THE TV SITCOM FAMILY

01/04/11 SINGER GERRY RAFFERTY DIES

01/02/11 INSPIRATION FOR BAND OF BROTHERS, MAJOR RICHARD ‘DICK’ WINTERS.

Something New for Thirty.

So I just saw a clip on the TED (Technology, Education, and Design) website by Matt Cutts (http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/matt_cutts_try_something_new_for_30_days.html).  It was how he decided to try something new for 30 days (he credits Morgan Spurlock, of Super-Size Me fame, for the idea).  I found his 5 minute speech rather moving, and decided to give it a try, but with a bit of a twist.  Make no mistake about this.  This is not a weight loss or quit smoking thing.  This is about just trying something new or different for a set time frame.  Right now, my plan is to try something new for 30 days, every other month.  My twist on the concept is that I am going to try something new in four areas (so basically it will be 4 something news).  I am going to use the basic “life” parts to categorize the “something news’”.  While some of these things may fit in to multiple categories, I will try my best to make them diverse.  The four areas are: Physical, Emotional, Spiritual, and Mental.  I will start a group on Facebook, and you are all free to join.  I would like to see what everyone else is going to do.

So for my first 30 days (Sept. 1 – 30, 2011) I am going to:

Physical: Walk my neighborhood every day, no matter the weather conditions.

Emotional: I am going to write a poem or haiku each day.

Spiritual: I am going to read and understand a different prayer from a different religion each day.

Mental:  I am going to learn a Gaelic word every day.

7th Layer Interview

*** Warning!  Adult Content! ***

Come With Me

If I took you inside of my mind
Would you be afraid of what you saw
You would see the good and bad times
Nothing to hide; You would see it all

You would see how much I love you
You would see that I really do care
So come with me in to my mind
See what I see, if you dare

Some of it will hurt you inside
Some of it may even make you sad
You may see things that hurt you deep down
You may see some of the best times we had

So do not worry
There is no need for you to run
These are all things I can not hide
These are all the deeds that have been done

Through it all I remain focused
Even with my mind in a spin
No one said love and life was an easy game
But it is one I just have to win

247.3 (Yup…)

There is no real easy way to put it.  I am overweight.  By how much varies by who you ask and what system you use.  First, lets start with where I am at:

Age: 37
Height: 6’3”
Weight: 247
BMI: 30.1

Ok, so we have that all out in the open.  At my heaviest weight I was 256 pounds.  This was right after I herniated my L4 & L5 discs last August.  I have gotten it back down to pre-herniated back levels, but it is obvious that my weight is what is causing the issue.  So I really do need to do something.  Not just for me, but for my family and the kids I coach.  I mean, how can they take a coach seriously who is not fit and able to do all the drills and conditioning that is ask of them.

So where do I go from here?  Basically I just want to put this out here.  I DO NOT CARE about BMI or Body Fat percentage.  I am not trying to win a contest or anything, so I do not care what those levels are at.  First, let’s look at what some of the “scales” say.

First is the “People’s Choice” scale.  This is basically just an opinion poll of like 2,000 people who say what they think the ideal weight for a specific height is.  According to them, I should be: 216 pounds.

Next is the “Medical Opinion” scale.  This is basically what a bunch of doctors, who have nothing better to do think.  The ideal weight according to them is: 200 pounds.

Last is the “Devine” scale.  This is a pretty funny one.  Basically it was a scale created in 1974 for medication dosage, but has since been used for ideal weight things.  According to the Devine scale, I should be: 186 pounds.

So where does this leave me?  Pretty much where I started.  I want to be where I feel healthy and have energy.  So here it is…

My big “number”: 220 pounds this year and walking around at 200 pounds by this time next year.

Now, here is the catch.  I have tried it all.  It all boils down to the following; I have no motivation.  So instead of doing it all cold turkey and all gung-ho like normal, I am going to ease in to it.  Here are my phases:

Phase #1 (Now – Oct, 2011)
1.  No meals after 8 pm (maybe some snacks, but nothing large).
2.  Breakfast every day
3.  3 meals a day plus 3 snack periods
4.  No change in where I eat, just portion size
5.  2 “Cheat Days” (remember I said I am not doing this cold turkey??!?!)
6.  Volleyball and gym the same as it is now (whenever, no schedule)

Phase #2 (Oct – Feb, 2012)

1.  All that is in Phase 1 plus these changes
2. 1 Cheat day (Getting there)
3. Weight room 3 times a week
4.  Cardio program

Phase #3 (Feb – May, 2012)

1.  All that is in Phase 1 plus these changes
2. 0 Cheat days (hopefully)
3. Weight room 3 times a week
4.  Volleyball skill training 2 times a week
5.  Jump program

There you have it.  I am hoping that easing in to it will help me.  Who knows.  But I have nothing to lose, but a huge gut.