Living Proof

There goes all my dinner parties... There is not one diet I haven't tried. There hasn't been one diet that has really worked for me, except for Weight Watcher's - but for me that was like a starvation project. I've always had issues with weight --  up and down and getting round -- so I decided to bite the bullet and do a no carb thing, perhaps even the Paleo diet, also known as "the caveman diet", suggested by my doctor friend who is guiding me right now, cringing at every mistake I make along the way. Paleo's focus (or in my opinion because I know I will get corrected on this which is fine) is on cutting all sugars out of your diet, including grains like wheat bread, pastas, starches and even beans. The list goes on about what you can't have, but there are some perks. I'm Italian so this is very difficult for me to eliminate pasta, however, I'm also allowed to eat all ~the evils~ that I was told not to eat by my family doctor. Foods inc...

While driving to the store with my mother the other day, we were talking about life in general and how different we become every ten years or so. She asked, "Do you notice how different we change every ten years?" I never really thought about it until I quickly reviewed my life in a matter of five seconds. Ten years ago I was a hot mess. Madelene and I had separated for a while to sort things out and I headed into a downward spiral of depression, which resulted in many alcohol binges. I had developed a lot of toxic relationships, friendship-wise as well as intimately. I didn't like myself very much...or at all. Ten years before that chaotic period, I was trying to pursue a career and landed some great jobs as a temp. It finally led me to IBM where I worked in finance, dressed like a stuffed shirt and traveled a few times (hate traveling) with my co-workers to other branches for senseless one hour meetings scattered throughout the day. Nothing like mud coffee, beige ...

As you probably already know, I'm very passionate about preventing our children from being bullied in school. Some survive it, some don't. We've all heard horror stories where a kid commits suicide because the bullying was just too much. Most of the time, the victim never tells anyone due to shame and embarrassment. They hide it and let it fester until it's too late. Bullying happens in schools, playgrounds and even in neighborhoods where they all congregate. Parents can't be there every second of the day, which is why I think it's so important to have all parents and children informed of what can happen if the bullying doesn't stop. I also write a lot about this topic because it's a personal one for me, having survived a suicide attempt that no one even knew about. I was bullied relentlessly by a neighborhood "friend". I was only 13 years old and tried to drink myself into a coma. I wanted to end it because I feared going to school the next ...

I don't care if you're a hard-headed, unforgiving, bitter ol' sonnovabitch, but most everyone holds onto old wounds, or at least remembers them. New wounds always need time of course. You don't have to be the "nice guy" or the sensitive soul that absorbs way too much. While we're all wired so differently and beautifully, we all have egos and hearts that break and shatter. I'm guessing about 80% + people are in therapy trying to 'figure it all out', while the rest are out there seeking some sort of outlet (and relief) to distract them from the chaos that lives inside their minds. You've heard the saying, "Idle time is the devil's playground", and while that may ring true, we may also find ourselves running away from what hurt us instead of facing it head on. The fact remains, wherever you go, for however long 'something' distracts you, there is going to be a time when your moments are idle and your thoughts come flutt...

Is it just me, or do you also cringe when you read a long-winded paragraph by someone with a ton of typos? I realize that everyone, including myself makes typos from time to time, and for me, I find a lot when I first review a blog post, but some people make me wonder if they have ever picked up a book or have ever put in the effort to make their sentences appear semi-intelligent. An old co-worker of mine on Facebook decided to post a lovely political rant that was just so irrational and absurd that I had to chime in. Mind you, I rarely ever comment on politics, unless it's just outrageously stupid. She's a Mitt fan and misquoted his percentages as well as typed her entire thoughts like a kindergartner. There were new sentences that weren't capitalized, periods in the midst of sentences as well as words misspelled so badly that I had to reread it. I kept seeing her post in my feed a few times, but decided, nah, not worth it. But it gnawed at me. How can someone feel okay ...

Many are pissed off. You've mocked our GOD. There are a lot of things about life I don't understand. I don't know why a crucifix dipped in the artist, Andres Seranno's urine can be displayed in an art gallery with our tax dollars funding it while the U.S. defends the Muslims for killing our ambassador over a horrible b-grade movie on Youtube that mocked their god.  Aren't we a "Christian" nation? Why aren't we rallying and burning their flags? Why is our country "a Christian country" anyway? Aren't we a melting pot? Guess not. But what makes one religion more protective over another? Is it more important? Isn't any "god" worshipped a priority? Or, is it just that some people are just absolutely batshit crazy? How come those crazy Christian extremists who want all homosexuals killed in the name of god not picketing outside of the art gallery where their own Christ is dipped in urine? I guess the homos are to blame as th...

"I'm just fine thank you." The biggest lie in the world is, "I'm fine." And oddly enough, the one question that really doesn't want to get answered is, "How are you?" Or in New Yawk, it's "How you doin'?" It's become more of a greeting than a genuine concern of one's well being. Strange how that works, yet it's the most common phrases that people use. I remember a funny story about a friend telling me, "Never ask him how he's doing - it'll never end."  I tested it like a jackass.  "How are you, John?" He looked up at me, shook his head and said, "Not good...not good. I lost my job the other day, I have all these bills piling up and I'm totally broke. I can't seem to get my car running because the transmission blew and I have no way to get to any interviews. Mah wife is bitching at me because she's the only one working and on top of that, she's always out with her...