Something To Be Thankful For

I have had a couple experiences as of late that have really humbled me, if that is the right word. Maybe a better way to say it is that I have realized how much I have to be thankful for, and I supposed, with Thanksgiving next week, today was as good a day as any to describe my experiences. Please don't think I am bragging in anything I say here, it is meant only to convey how blessed I am, anyone who knows me could name more than several weaknesses of mine, so I am not trying to boast here, just so you know.

Blessing Number 1: The Gospel.
I have been reading this book as of late (don't worry, this isn't a book review post) called "Tortured for Christ" it was written by a man who suffered for his Christian beliefs in communist Romania. I have always been grateful for the Gospel, but I have never had to suffer anything near like what I read about. I won't go into exactly what they suffered, but it was literally the stuff of nightmares. When I hear what others have suffered for something I have always had abundant access to, including the Scriptures, the Sacrament, the Temple, and much more.

Blessing Number 2: My Family.
Throughout my youth, I have long taken this for granted as well. It was not until I went on a mission and into the homes of many, many, different families and individuals that I realized what a great blessing I had. I have two wonderful parents who love each other, as well as me. Four siblings that I love dearly and would do anything for, just as I know they would me. As a family, we sacrifice for, learn from, and teach one another. I could not ask for anything more in a family.

Blessing Number 3: My Friends.
Having been on the side of the spectrum where friends are scarce or non-existent, I am extraordinarily grateful to have such supportive, fun, caring friends as I have now. Many of my friends have sacrificed for me in ways that are more meaningful to me than they may ever know. Others have set examples for me that have impacted me a great deal.

Blessing Number 4: My Health.
In both mind and body I realize more all the time how richly I am blessed. I always kind of figured that school was as easy for others as it is for me. But when I think about how much more effort others put into certain study efforts than me, and have to work much harder to achieve the same results, I realize that a clear mind is a great blessing. (Once again, I'm not bragging, most of you who read this have the same blessing in this regard.) In the same vein, I am so grateful for a healthy body, all five senses, the ability to walk, run, swim, jump, bike, and play. The ability to do virtually anything I set my mind to. I hate to close on a sad note, but I want to share the story that set off this whole reflection on how good I've got it.

Yesterday, as I was driving down South Temple on my way to school when I saw a woman, holding a cane, indicating that she was blind, sitting in a "jazzy" motorized wheel chair, indicating that she couldn't walk, and worst of all, she had driven off the platform of the trax station, and gotten stuck half on the platform, the other half of the tracks themselves. She sat there, rocking back and forth, weeping. I saw her and my heart wrenched. I stopped my car in the middle of the road and ran out to help her. Two other guys were coming up at the same time and together we lifted her back onto the platform. She sit there, weeping, as the other two guys left. I had to resist the impulse to wrap her in my arms and just hold her, trying to offer her any comfort I could muster. Instead, I helped her across the street and asked her what I could do to help. Between gasping sobs, she cried that she was just trying to get to the Crown Burger, I told her I would help her, if I could just get my car out of the road. I parked, and ran back to her, now she was accompanied by a UTA attendant, who called for medical help because this young woman had likely broken her foot, in an attempt to brace herself from falling off the platform. My heart wrenched again, and I couldn't leave for fear that there was anything I could do for her. When the fire department arrived and started asking medical questions, I learned that she also had a damaged back from a bus incident a few months ago, she was on several anti-anxiety medications, and I noticed her "Jazzy" battery was almost dead, and she was only 19.

Even now, I have a difficult time keeping the image of this young girl out of my mind. I can still see her, stuck on the tracks, rocking back and forth and weeping because of pain, fear, humiliation, anxiety, frustration, and helplessness. All I wanted was to comfort her, I could only imagine the fear of being lost in a big city, without taking into account being blind, with heightened anxiety, not being able to walk, riding an electric wheelchair in which the battery could die any miunte.

Reflecting on these experiences, I cannot help but feel like I have no right to ever complain about anything, ever. On the contrary, I feel like I should do nothing but go about giving thanks every moment of every day.

Karaoke

I know it has been at least 20 years since I have blogged, but I admit that once school started, I am always too preoccupied with school assignments and so forth to put much thought and/or effort into blogging. But I did have an experience a while ago that I told some friends I would relate via blog, so I take this brief time I have at work to fill everyone in.
First off, doesn't the word "karaoke" look funny? It doesn't look like it sounds to me and I always have to look it up after wards to make sure I spelled it right. Anyway, where was I... Oh yeah, CostCo. As a matter of fact, I am at CostCo quite often these days, the reasons for which I may have to elaborate upon in a later post. This particular day we had taken a a "field trip" from work (my job is way close to CostCo) to go and get a bunch of free samples for lunch.
It was a good day, we made the usual round from the bakery through the cheese area and up and down the cold aisles to make sure we didn't miss any, ending on the waffles with real maple syrup. Now, there is a delicate art to sample-collection. If you can manage to get a good dialogue going with the sample people, then they will likely give you more and/or bigger samples. This worked particularly well on the chimichanga sample-man who ended up cutting them in thirds instead of fifths and offering multiple pieces to us, score! Yet I digress...
After all the cold aisles, we ended up wandering through the seasonal stuff and we came across a neato little karaoke machine, with built in microphones and speakers. Of course, for Tosh and I, this proved to be an irresistible opportunity to push the limits of our comfort zones and have a little fun at the same time. There were no good songs, and each one we attempted was thoroughly embarrassing. We didn't know most of them, but we did our best, the girls were too wimpy to join in, so they watched from afar and pretended not to know us. After a couple songs, we got a couple of fans, one older, foreign lady actually came up to us to express her enjoyment. We felt our deed was done, until I realized we had one more spectator who deserved a personal tribute...
It was at this point that a song I was actually somewhat familiar came on the screen. It was "All You Wanted" by Michelle Branch. Not the most ideal song for a couple of guys to sing, but it would have to do. The introductory notes started playing and I shouted into the microphone a dedication of this song to the waffle sample lady. It was as stirring a rendition of a Michelle Branch song I had ever sang publicly.
If you are wondering if there is a point to this blog post, you can stop now, because there really isn't. But if I had to make one up for some reason, I would say that it is a tribute to the people in our lives who labor tirelessly to bring joy and happiness to others without seeking personal recognition. In particular, the waffle ladies in each of our lives. So next time you are at CostCo, remember to thank the sample people for the joy that they bring into your life each and every visit, and if you are not in too much of a hurry, stop and sing them a little song. You will not only get the joy of bringing a smile (or look of utter confusion) to some random old-person's face, but you may just get another sample out of them, and that is what it is really all about.

"Do One Thing Every Day That Scares You"

I don't expect any of my readers to know the origin of the quoted title, unless I have one of those random creepy blog-stalkers. It is a quote from a video I posted a few months ago that I said really inspired me to make something more interesting out of my life. And it is filled with lots of great one-liners and pieces of advice and counsel for life. Highly recommended!

Anyway, back to the point. I have not taken the aforementioned advice as seriously as I have taken others. I do not make it a point to do something scary everyday, because I haven't really been able to see the point. But it started to fit together on that day in Good Earth Natural Foods... But recently, more events have occurred that have taken me well out of my comfort zone, and as a result I found that my comfort zone has expanded each time something like that happens. No wonder there is such value in leaving your comfort zone!

So I thought I would share a couple experiences I have had that have been kind of scary. One of which was forced out of my comfort zone, the other one I voluntarily left it.

First story: The other week I was babysitting my nephew Tate. A note about babysitting, I love little kids, especially ones that I am related to. But there is one thing that I have successful avoided for my whole life as a babysitter, I have never had to change a "poopy" diaper. I came close once, I was playing with Tate when an odious stench filled the air. My sister (his Mom) was due to arrive home any minute, so I prayed that it would be soon. But the situation soon worsened as I discovered that the frothy excretions were not fully contained by the diaper! I panicked and put Tate on his changing table and went to the opposite corner of the room to sit in the rocking chair. He was stranded by a wall on one said and a four foot drop every other direction, so there I sat. Rocking and watching him to make sure he didn't jump/fall off. In a few more minutes I heard the door open and called out to my sister as if this crisis was just barely under way and happily passed the baton over to her, seeking refuge in the basement. Crisis averted!

But the next time this happened, I was NOT so lucky. It was a similar situation, but the problem was that it happened shortly after my sister and brother-in-law left. I knew I could not just wait like last time. So I took inventory of the situation. I ran into the bathroom and started searching through cupboards for supplies. I found a box of latex gloves and quickly grabbed them and when I could not find any surgical masks I ran to the kitchen to grab a paper towel and stuffed it into the collar of my shirt, and proceeded to drop essential oils (Peppermint and Lemon) on it to neutralize any odors. What happened next was all a big blur, I remember hands and legs flailing around, lots of baby wipes, laughing, and a cloud of baby powder... then it was over. I sat there, my mind reeling with the implications of what had just happened, I could not claim total inexperience as an excuse ever again. (But if any of my siblings are reading this- don't get any ideas, I do not plan on repeating this anytime soon!) The moral of this story is though: as long as you have the right supplies and are prepared, and keep your cool, you can make it through even the most horrible situations!

The Classy Way to Execise; Part 1: Spin Class

Obviously, I have decided to cancel Book Review Monday due to a general lack of interest among my readers. But one failed series attempt deserves another, so please welcome Boring No More's latest and greatest review series: "The Classy Way to Exercise!"

Recently I have taken a few exercise classes at my local 24 Hour Fitness to try new things and see what they are all about. My experiences varied so greatly, and slightly comically, that I decided I would do a few posts to discuss my experiences...

The first one I tried since getting home from my mission was a Yoga class. But since I already did an entire post dedicated to that, I will let that suffice and move on to Spin class. This is the only group exercise class I ever took before my mission. For some reason, I remember liking it a lot more... When I attempted another spin class recently, all I could think of was how awful it was!

Don't get me wrong, I love biking. It is my strongest of the three legs of Triathlon, but I think that if you were to take everything that is awful about biking, and take away everything that is enjoyable, you would get... a spin class. Really, the thrill of racing down a hill with the wind in your face, the feeling of effortlessly leaning into a long turn that makes you feel like you are one with the machine, the sun on your back, passing people, reaching destinations, maneuvering, and cheating traffic laws while laughing at cars... All of the things that make me love biking, gone. And all is left is a dark room with loud music, someone yelling at you, and a whole bunch of fatigue. I do not dispute in the least that you can get your heart rate up or get a good workout from a spin class, but lets face it, biking kicks its butt! Maybe I'll try again in the winter when there's no outdoor alternative.

Positive Thinking

We have all heard the ancient proverb, "For as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he." Many others may have even read the short, albeit famous book by James Allen on the subject. But I believe that most of us to not make these words real in our lives through application, or at least we do not do it in a conscious way. Which is quite a shame because there is real power in the practice of positive thinking. (as there is with negative thinking as well...)
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To illustrate my point, I will reference a story from Dr. Melvin Fish's book "Healing the Inner Self." The following is a true account.

"A family was in a car, traveling through an intersection, when a drunk
driver went through a red light at a speed in excess of 100 mph. Upon impact, the family’s car was broken completely into two separate parts, and the occupants scattered. The wife ended up on her back in the median. She knew she had many broken bones so she made no attempt to move. Her little child lay some distance away with a badly fractured skull. The husband was the least injured of any of them. He walked over to his wife and said as he looked down on a bloody mess, “I am a dead man.” Before morning, even though he had no serious injury, he slipped from this world to the next. All the other members of the family recovered."

This story demonstrates how much power there is in our words. Because words spring from thoughts, they make whatever idea you have seem even more real to yourself, the same is true for visualization. Allow me to quote another story from the same source cited above.

"This young man had been a basketball player for the university where he had been attending school, just a year or two prior to this time. While playing ball, he suffered a severe injury which damaged the ligaments in his ankle. The doctor told him that the body never heals itself from such an injury and he must accept the fact that he would never walk on that foot again.
He was not willing to accept that diagnosis. He kept all doubt out of his mind by constantly concentrating on the following mental picture: He visualized tiny little men within his body repairing the injury. To make the mental picture as vivid as possible, he even visualized them wearing T-shirts with logos on them. For several days he visualized those little men with
hammers, chisels, shovels, and brooms chipping away, cleaning up and discarding all of the damaged tissue just as workmen would dispose of debris from a badly damaged building before attempting to rebuild it. The next week was spent in visualizing these same little men with saws,
hammers and nails, bricks and mortar, etc. rebuilding his ankle. Two weeks after the injury, this young man returned to his doctor who could not believe his eyes. He was walking on both feet.
There was, however, a lot of stiffness in the ankle. Visualization then took on another phase of healing. The little men began working first, for a few days, with sandpaper, smoothing and sanding away the scar tissue. Next they spent several days polishing and buffing the new tissue.
Last of all they went around through the ankle with little oil cans lubricating the new tissue. The ankle completely recovered becoming as healthy and normal as the other. The interesting postscript to the story is the fact that soon after starting to play ball again he injured the other ankle, which was also completely healed in the same manner. Both ankles are completely normal and he can play ball without any difficulty or handicap."

Given these two examples, would you not rather utilize this power to make your life better? This is the principle upon which the book and documentary "The Secret" are based. The law of attraction, or the law of the harvest. We get what we focus on consistently, and too many of us in our day and age are consistently visualizing and talking about the negative. Saying things like "I hate my life." "My life sucks." "I'm so ugly." "I'll never reach ____ goal." "I just know I am going to get sick." and so on and so forth. What horrible realities to create for yourself!

Visualizing what you want to happen, and saying positive things about your life and situation is the sure fire way to happiness and success. You may have heard of people practicing "affirmations." To society, it seems like a silly practice, but it can help a lot with focusing your thoughts on the positive. It involves saying positive statements that are in present tense about yourself. So rather than "I will be skinny someday", you say something like "I am excited. I weigh ____ pounds and have never felt better. I love to look in the mirror, and have my clothes feel loose on me. I radiate a sense of health and well-being to everyone around me." See the difference? Imagine how much more powerful that last affirmation is compared to the first, and when combined with a visualization, just imagine the possibilities. But to have it work we have to stop attending pity-parties that we may tend to throw for ourselves, as these will only cause us to focus on the negative, which is what we will end up getting more of.

I know that this process is effective and that it works. I use it often in my life for a variety of problems and concerns. For some reason, it tends to be most effective right before bed and right before you wake up, perhaps your sub-conscious mind is most active at those times and takes those affirmations as truth. I know as well as any how difficult it can be at times to think positively, but in closing this post I will share with you a method I have used to help me when the negative and stressful thoughts start piling up.

I made a list entitled, "Things that make me sad" and write down everything I could think of that was bothering me or causing me stress. These have been things like: "My room is a mess, I need to study my scriptures more, one of my car's tires is going flat, I need to read more..." My last list had 35 items on it that were causing me grief. They can be anything. Then I changed the title to "Things that make me happy" and converted every negative thing on that list into something positive. So my new list was something like this: "I am excited to clean my room tomorrow, I love to study my scriptures everyday and receive inspiration from the Spirit, I'm so glad that I can get my flat tire fixed for free tomorrow, Thank goodness for great authors and tons of books to read..." and the list went on. By the time I was done, I felt really good about my life and the stress was almost completely, if not entirely gone.

All of this can work just as well for you, just keep your thoughts and words positive, and if negative burdens pile up, get them out of your mind and on to some paper where you can deal with them from a more objective stand point, and then change them into fuel for a better life. Good luck.

Cookie Dough

Today has been one of those days...

You have probably heard of the grieving process. (Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance) Well, today I thought I would outline the process I have gone through amidst my anxieties and frustrations:

Stage One: "Fake it 'till you make it" This step is similar to denial in which you try to act as if nothing is wrong. You keep a smile on your face, and try to not dwell on negative things said to and/or about you. Depending on the quantity and severity of your difficulties, this may be the only step you need. But on a day like today, I had no choice but to continue to...

Stage Two: "Venting" When you pass the point where you can just let those things roll like water off a ducks back, there is usually no option but to seek the willing ear of a close friend or family member to unload on. This conversation will typically be quite one-sided, with you complaining in great detail about your circumstances and criticizing the people who contributed to your woeful state. Even things completely unrelated to the current day's issues will tend to arise, in a desperate attempt to make your situation seem more dire, and thus obtain more sympathy. Typically, there will also be a lengthy explanation included in which you explain how none of what is wrong is in any way your fault, and was exclusively caused by others. (Either by their ignorance/stupidity or more often their outright evil/malicious intent to make you feel miserable.) Note: If you are the one being vented to, there is no use in trying to reason with the "venter," all you can do at this point is listen, and say things like "I'm sorry" or "I love you."

Stage Three: "Letting the wound fester" After the venting process is complete, there will typically be some very wise advice given by the "ventee," which (because of their wisdom and lack of involvement in the situation) is objective, accurate, and extremely valuable. They offer this advice and help as a physician offering a soothing balm to ease the pain of a serious laceration. Unfortunately, at this point you choose to completely ignore what they say, and may even go through parts of stage two again. But the advice sinks in subconsciously, ready to be recalled at a time when you can think more rationally. (In a sense, you take the balm or ointment from the doctor, but refuse to apply it.) At this point, you tend to end up basking in the "self indulgent hot tubs of self pity."

Stage Four: "Cookie Dough" This is when you attempt to ease your pain by burying it in pleasure. In my case, frozen cookie dough. When you are eating cookie dough with a glass of milk on the side, everything is right with the world, there are no problems, and your mind is clear of everything but the euphoric sense of bliss emanating from the sugary gob in your mouth... That is, until you swallow. It only takes that long for troubles to fully reassert themselves, but that is easily solved by taking another bite... And another... This process may continue until you run out of cookie cough or you start feeling sick, whichever happens first. Either way, it will come to an end, and most likely you will end up at...

Stage Five: "Obtaining More Cookie Dough" Okay, so this isn't really stage five. That is, unless you have had a really hard day, in which case it may be necessary. But in most cases you will continue on to...

[The Real] Stage Five: "Rising above" I do not know the science behind it exactly, but that part of the subconscious mind where the good advice received in stage three is stored is somehow released into the conscious mind when the two hemispheres of the brain are connected by a wave of cookie dough-induced endorphins. The sickening, junk food feeling in your gut brings you back to reality, and you start being able to accept the wise counsel given to you by your loving friend or family member (or both, in my case). You begin to realize that what happened really wasn't that big of a deal, and the things that people said (or didn't say) weren't even that mean to begin with. Ultimately you decide to just move on with life because it is far too short to dwell on trivial things. Besides, life will keep moving on whether you like it or not, so you might as well enjoy it, if for no other reason than this: as life moves on, this day ends up farther and farther behind me. Now that is a comforting thought, almost as comforting as cookie dough.

Which reminds me, stage five will often end with some kind of resolution to go to the gym and work off all the cookie dough you ate. Which is fine, because doing so will not only burn off cookie dough calories, but any residual negativity as well.

Book Review: "The E-Myth: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It"

This book by Michael Gerber is truly a must-read for anyone who aspires to be an entrepreneur. It is also good for people who want to better understand entrepreneurs. It dispels the common myths surrounding people who start their own businesses and the myths that those same people believe that lead them to fail.

Among the most valuable things that this book helps you to do is see the future of your business, and to visualize what you want your business to go, and how to get it there. I imagine that there are people out there who believe they have no interest in entrepreneurship, but after reading this book and getting a new perspective, they may find the prospect more appealing.

Two weeks ago I reviewed another book on this same subject, both of these are important to read, as they help you understand the difference between owning a job, and owning a business. This one contains information on how to remove yourself from the framework of your business so that it can run independently without you, through other people. The other book will help you remove people altogether from your business and run on an even higher plane of automation. Very fascinating for anyone who wonders how business works. Check it out.

The Scariest Moment Of My Life!

I have come close to death and severe injury on many occasions in my life. I have nearly drowned twice, once while whitewater rafting, the other time in the ocean. I have had some scary close encounters with shards of glass that should have cut me to ribbons, and have had large rocks falling from above that just missed landing on me. I have been lost in the wilderness by myself more than once, and have nearly fallen off a few rock faces. I have been threatened to be shot while staring at a loaded shotgun. I have lost control of cars on black ice and/or snow several times, and confronted members of the Aryan Nations.

But all of that pales in comparison with what happened yesterday in a Good Earth Natural Foods store... But before I tell you exactly what happened, I will need to provide some background.

Last Christmas, I planned an extra special gift for my dearly beloved sister, April. She had recently gotten into the whole/natural food scene, and so I made and stocked a custom grain cupboard for her. To get the grains needed, I went to WinCo, and Good Earth Natural Foods. I found out that my dear mother also needed to go to these two stores, so like any good son, I decided to go with her. (And also so I wouldn't have to pay for gas.)

Anyway, I'll get to the point. There was a certain cashier at Good Earth, and she was extremely beautiful and radiant. A great smile, and tons of light in her face, she was practically glowing. Anyway, I tried to strike up a little conversation, which is quite difficult when you aren't really buying a lot. So I asked her to show me where something was, then I purchased it from her, and under the pressure of the people in line behind me, I wimped out and kept walking. After I left the store, my mother commented on how the cashiers thought I was "cute". This bolstered my courage and I asked if she would wait in the car while I went back inside to seek this fair maiden's number.

I went back in, grabbed some random product and got in her line. As luck would have it, the person in front of me had some protest about how much something cost, or they couldn't write a check, or their card was declined, or they were paying in all pennies, or something. They must have been there for 10 minutes, and I am standing behind them looking like an idiot because there is another line that is completely open. My nerves grew more tense, and then I heard a car horn. I thought it was my mother, and all my confidence was shattered. I put down whatever it was and left the store, only to find out that it was some one else honking, but it was too late. I could not go back. I was left to wonder if I would ever see this beautiful girl whose name started with "C" and was a little bit strange but I couldn't remember it because it was covered in part by her hair.

Anyhow, it was quite a traumatic experience, and every time I have gone to that store since, I have looked for her, but my efforts have been in vain. That is... until yesterday.

Of Course, fate would not allow me to meet this girl under normal, non-awkward circumstances though. The first time we met, I was with my mother (whom I love, and is in no way embarrassing to have around other than the fact that she is my mom...) and this time I was going to the aforementioned store to get supplies for a "Clue" themed party to be held that evening; and of course, was already in my costume. So here I am, dressed up as a character from a board game, this time having given a ride to my sister and nephew, and there she is. My sister sees how my eyes lock onto this angelic creature, gives a knowing look, and prods me over to ask for her number.

So there I stood. Eight months, almost to the day since I last saw her, and I go and get the same thing I purchased from her in December, ginger ale. I go through the line, while my sister takes the parallel checkout line, the whole while jerking her head in a "go ahead, ask her" motion, and I wimp out and keep walking. I just couldn't do it, asking a girl out without any basis is too scary. I am fine asking girls out that I know, or even ones I don't know that I can talk to for at least 5 minutes, but the fear of the unknown here was crippling. While my sister continued checking out, I seized my nephew in hopes that he would be a conversation starter, or if hit the jackpot, he would be as enthralled with this girl as I was, then I'd have an easy in. But no such luck. I left the store again, heartbroken. But at least this time I could read her name tag, "Caprise." Once out of the store, my sister threatened to go and ask herself if I didn't, and gave me the same reassuring confidence boost I got back in December. "She thinks you're cute, I'm a girl I can tell."

So for about a minute I gathered my courage, prepared what I was going to say, marched right back in there, she greeted me by saying "back again, huh?" in a melodiously beautiful voice, and I said... "Where is your bathroom?"

Apparently, I needed some more courage gathering, so I went to the bathroom, and on my way back out, I grabbed a sample cup of chocolate soy milk, drank it and then looked for a garbage can that I knew they kept under the registers so I could be close to her. This time there was no one else in the line, just Caprise, standing there looking at me, perhaps wondering why I was wearing a green shirt, green tie, and faded green corduroy flood pants. (I was obviously "Mr. Green" from Clue...) I disposed of my sample cup, looked her in the eye, and turned around to face the door. Then I stopped, turned back to face her, leaned over and said, "Actually I have one more question." She encouraged me to ask it, and I so I nervously inquired : "Not to be weird or creepy or anything, but I was wondering if you ever go on dates with random guys who come into natural... I mean, Good Earth Natural Foods..." She smiled that beautiful smile, giggled a little bit, and then said, "I would, if I was single..."

And that was it, just like that it was over. I gave her another smile, which she returned, and I quietly left the building. Now, this may not have been the ending I wanted, but the good news is, now that I have done it once, I think that I have crossed over some kind of mental barrier I had. So look out random good looking receptionists, cashiers, dental assistants, and girls on the street, there ain't no stopping me now...

Book Review: "On Wings Of Faith"

Frederick Babbel, author of the previously reviewed book, "To Him That Believeth" shares stories and relates faith promoting experiences from his time spent in post World War II Europe with President Benson as they sought to bring aid to the needy members there.

Teaching doctrine straight up is more my style and preference, but if you are one of those who enjoys hearing others experiences and seeing how you can relate, this book is a must read. Many of the most faith promoting and inspirational stories you have heard in General Conference were taken directly from the first-hand accounts in this book. You cannot read this book without having your testimony of God's love and power strengthened. I especially recommend having read it for the times when you face a task that seems insurmountable, then you can reflect on how the Lord always prepares the way, even though He does so in different ways and for different purposes. And if nothing else, this book is a true testament that the day of miracles has not ceased and that God continues His great work in our day, just as much as He ever has.

Book Review: "The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich"

Of all of the things in my life that made me want to be an entrepreneur, this book is truly one of the greatest influences. This is how I learned about how much freedom there can be in entrepreneurship, if you do it right.

Quite honestly, it was also this book that ultimately, albeit somewhat indirectly inspired me to start this blog. What would you do with your life if money was not an issue? What dreams and goals would you pursue? These kind of questions intrigued me because, who dared think that it was possible to automate an income to the point where you could work on things you really care about without worrying about having enough money to get by.

This book teaches you how. How to get out of the rat race, and join the new rich. This book is ultimately about freedom, and having control over your own life. In that sense, its mission is similar to that of this blog. Almost everything I post is meant to teach or show examples of how to gain freedom in your own life. I think this is one that everyone should read, and I assure you that it is not a boring business book, but a truly entertaining and engaging read. Enjoy!

Cost-Benefit Analysis

I don't think there are any activities that bring true, long term satisfaction except for those which involve considerable sacrifice and/or inconvenience. Often, the sacrifice will involve money, and it will always include a sacrifice of some of your time.

A cost-benefit analysis is typically used to make financial decisions, but I feel that it can be applied to most every decision when deciding if the result of carrying out that decision is worth more than the time and resources put into it. Going through this process is necesarry if we desire to follow the ancient counsel: "Wherefore, do not spend money for that which is of no worth, nor your labor for that which cannot satisfy."

Now the question: What satisfies you? Or in other words, what is so important to you that the time, inconvenience, and money it costs are no longer an issue? The answers will inevitable vary from person to person, but I think there are a lot of similarities in what we each value. As I give and explain my answers to the above questions see if you can identify some things about your own priorities.

Creating joyful memories is one of the most valuable and satisfying things I can do, and on a similar note, I find immense satisfaction in building positive relationships. These two feed off of and reinforce one another, memories are created as relationships are built and vice versa. The long-term worth of good friends and memories exceeds most anything else you can invest in. When difficult times inevitably arrive, I plan on having a reservoir of happy memories to draw on and hopefully a team of friends to support me, just as I try to be supportive of them.

Recently I took a road trip with a few friends up to the Pacific Northwest, which I will no doubt blog more about later. The trip was designed to be relatively inexpensive but of course it still carried with it a sizable price tag in money, time lost at work, missing school, and so forth. But I hardly gave those things a second thought when invited because I knew that the memories made and friendships strengthened were well worth it, and I was right. I also do not typically like to eat out a lot, but eating clam chowder or fish and chips on a pier in Seattle was more than just a meal, it was an experience.

I rarely, if ever watch TV or movies by myself because I do not think the loss of time is worth what I gain. Especially if I have seen that movie before, or if it is not educational in someway. However, I often watch movies and shows with friends/family because spending time together strengthens bonds and so forth. I'm sure by now you get the idea.

Other things that are worth my efforts, I put into goals so that I can measure them better. These are mostly things that are meant to improve myself as a person spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically. Things like studying the scriptures, exercising/triathlons, reading good books that benefit me with what I learn, which is why I only review non-fiction books on my blog. (I like fiction as well, but typically only listen to it while doing other things.)

Aspects of many of these things are not enjoyable, but the overall result is truly satisfying. Hiking as an example, the blisters, soreness, bug bites, and rocks in your shoes are not very fun. But the scenery and views you see, the peace you feel, the strength and endurance you gain, the appreciation for nature's beauty, the satisfaction you achieve, and (if you are not alone) the relationships built and strengthened, make the whole experience one worth repeating.

Before I wrap things up, I want to make a brief comment on the things we buy, rather than just the activities we spend money on. The same rules for me apply. Most often I can justify a purchase because of the long term benefits it will provide to me, take my recent purchase of a raft for example. It will help me better myself physically as I get exercise, as well as help create memories and friendships as I share it with others. The same went for my bike, my wetsuit and everything else that was required for my triathlons, these things are investments in a better life.

I hope that we are all happy with the way we spend our time and money, and if not, I know that we can be by undergoing a cost-benefit analysis by seeing how activities and purchases will help us later in and throughout life, and beyond. Pleasure is always trumped by satisfaction.

Book Review: "Rich Dad Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money-That the Poor and the Middle Class Do Not!"

I know that many people have already read this book, and a great many more have already heard of it. But due to a recent experience in Seattle this last weekend, I thought it prudent to review it anyway.

While walking along the coast in Seattle, a man passed me wearing a fluorescent colored t-shirt that said "TAX THE RICH". He might as well have been walking around carrying a sign that he constantly yelled out loud proclaiming "I am an ignorant, arrogant, lazy slob!" One of the valuable concepts that follows along the message of this phenomenal book is this: "That which you tax, less people will do. While that which you subsidize, more people will do." That poor guy I saw in Seattle basically wanted to work less and make more money and let the people who work hard and make lots of money pay for the streets he drives on and the military that protects his home. (Not to mention that he would have them pay for his health care, his groceries, and his childcare so he can go sip espresso and read the Huffington Post without having to worry about his kids.)

Yet, I digress. The bottom line is this: everyone needs to read this book. People need to understand money and how it works as well as why there are rich people and why there are poor people. Everyone needs to learn that money itself is not an inherently bad thing, as a matter of fact, a lack of money can cause a heck of a lot more problems in a marriage, community, or society than having it in excess. This book is not very long, and it is written so as to be incredibly easy to read and understand; it is not like reading a financial accounting text book. So go get it and read it today, you'll be glad you did.

Book Review: "Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think"

I first heard about this book by Brian Wansink in my Health and Nutrition class at school, and upon first hearing of, I dismissed it as nothing more than "another diet book". It was not until later when a couple of students from the class who had read the book reported on it that I began to be intrigued.

Far from being a diet book, "Mindless Eating" examines the psychology of eating. It does not lay out a specific plan or diet to lose weight, but rather it empowers you by teaching you why and how we think about food and eating in general. You can use the knowledge gained from this book to help you want eat more healthy foods, and make yourself want those things that are not good for you less.

The book is written so that a wide variety of case studies are presented, carried out, reviewed, with commentary by the author between and during studies, as well as personal application. Some fascinating experiments undertaken involve how much labeling/packaging, as well as the overall appearance make a difference in people's perception of the taste of certain foods, as well as factors that cause us to eat more of certain foods, even if it does not taste good! For example, did you know that you will most likely eat 33% more m&ms if there are six colors as opposed to four?

If you have any interest in psychology, marketing, or food/eating in general, I believe you will find this book not only fascinating, but empowering as well.

Have It Your Way!

Never, since the days of the great "Willy Wonka Golden Ticket Promotion" has there been such devotion, determination, and united effort to reach a common goal.

It all started about a month ago when Burger King launched the Twilight/Eclipse game promotion. We learned that not only was it possible to win a Vespa, but also $100,000 or a really fun trip for four! This is when my friend Amber suggested that we buy our beverages from BK until the promotion ends. (The stickers you need to win are on the drink cups and the large "fry-pods") At that time Amber had already purchased several drinks and kicked off the game, and later that evening I suggested we return to buy a couple more, because I had an idea.

So off we went, Amber and Lisa in the drive-thru and I went into the store. They bought a couple drinks, and I asked if I could buy a large water cup for 25 cents, when I found out I could, and that the cups he would give me had the stickers, I got three or four of them. My two friends were so impressed with the idea that we decided to go out even later that night and buy as many water cups from as many Burger Kings we could find in the valley!

In the car we went, fortunately Lisa had her GPS so that we could plot a course to as many BK's as was possible. Some would give us the cups with the stickers, others would not, one lady made us pay full soda price just to get the water cups! One guy was sneaky and gave us some of the cups that were defective and didn't have stickers... Well, two can play at that game, so we took them to another BK and complained that they had no stickers on them, so she gave me some new cups with stckers, but the gross part is... She kept the cups without stickers that we had already used, and gave them to Amber when she went through the drive-thru to buy more water cups! Isn't that disgusting? She gave Amber USED cups, and she did not even know we were part of the same group, because I was in the store, not in the car with Amber. Ick.

Overall, we ended up getting TONS of cups, stickers, and instant win prizes though. And since then we have continued to patronize Burger Kings, look through the garbage cans, petition people for their empty cups and frypods, and collect stickers in every way we could. It was quite an adventure, especially the first night.

Unfortunately, the contest ended today. And we are not in possession of a Vespa, $100,000.00, a trip, movie tickets for a year, or even the collectors Eclipse water bottles. But that is not to say we finished empty-handed. We have coupons for free Whoppers, french toast sticks, shakes, sausage biscuits, and probably about 30 cheeseburgers! Not to mention the fact that I stayed really hydrated buying and drinking all of that water, and we had fun anyway.

I close with a sentiment from modern philosopher, Jack Handy:"It's funny that pirates were always going around searching for treasure, and they never realized that the real treasure was the fond memories they were creating."

Book Review: "Weapons of Mass Instruction: A Schoolteacher's Journey through the Dark World of Compulsory Schooling"

This is one of the books that I review that I do NOT recommend to everybody. That is not to say that I do not think that it is an extremely informative and fascinating book. John Taylor Gatto hits the nail right on the head when it comes to his conclusions about the world of compulsory schooling, and he of all people should know, he spent 30 years as a teacher in the New York public school system. While there, he would continually notice things that were wrong, and over time as he tried to fix them, he learned that the system was purposefully set up to be broken.

I don't suggest everyone read this book because the content can be quite distressing. My brother Rob who recommended it to me put it best, he said that this book is "The Blue Pill" and for those of you who did not catch or understand the Matrix reference there, it simply means that oftentimes it is easier to remain in ignorance than to know the startling truth. If you are not comfortable with drastically changing your paradigm concerning American Education, in particular the public school system, then this book is not likely for you.

However, if you would rather know how things really work, what the problems are, and how to escape/avoid their effects... This one is for you. One final note: John Taylor Gatto's first book "The Underground History of American Education" is available to read for free from his website, check it out as well. (Note: you will probably need a dictionary, this guy is smart!)

Book Review: "To Him That Believeth"

When it comes to books about the Gospel , there are very few I could recommend more highly that this one. I truly consider this book a staple in Mormon literature, and think it deserves a place on the shelf right next to the Standard Works!

The author, Bro. Frederick Babbel is a wonderful writer, and keeps a very good pace when covering the material. He does not breeze over it so as to leave you confused or wanting for more information, but at the same time does not bury you in repetitive statements and superfluous stories to illustrate an already well established point. Managing to keep it simple enough to understand and deep enough to enlighten, the author provides you with a lot to ponder and much reason to glorify God. When I finished this book, I thought it was like a "greatest hits" album that covered some of the most precious pearls of knowledge I had acquired from a variety of sources. All of this combined with a tone that is in no way condescending or superior, makes for a volume I could describe in two words: "truly edifying."

If you don't have a copy, buy one and read it now; If you do have a copy, go read it again!

Just Desserts

Now it is July, and you know what that means. Wait, you don't? Well, I'll remind you: This month means that the Dessert Fast of June is ended! You may recall that Tosh and I were planning on ending it triumphantly today, but then we realized we wouldn't even be together, so we went camping the night of the 1st instead and had smores that night.

I really must say, the anticipation was the best part, because I could hardly finish mine. I had also been eagerly awaiting the opportunity to eat some junior mints I had been saving for several weeks, and I kid you not: I could hardly eat three of them because they were so sweet it felt like they were burning my mouth! Unfortunately, I am confident in the ability of my taste buds to quickly re-adapt.

My observations following this undertaking are few. I noticed several things of note though... Right when I stopped I broke out horribly, I think because my body was detoxing. After that though, my skin was a lot clearer. There is a noticeable energy difference (increase), but it was not as defined this time as it has been in the past. The only other thing is that I almost got sick twice last month and both times I was able to overcome, so I think my immunity was a lot better. So there you have it.

Anywho, now that I have talked about that and this post is still kind of short, I will close by talking about the camp out Tosh and Katie and I went on... We went up to where I did my triathlon at Rock Cliff campground. We stopped at BIG 5 on the way so Tosh could buy a fishing pole, and I saw that they had inflatable rafts on sale, and I could not resist buying one! So we went up there, claimed our space, had our dinner and then I was anxious to go out on the lake, and even though it was after 11pm, I was able to get Tosh and Katie "on board" with the idea. On the walk to the lake we saw fireflies! That is exciting because I have only ever heard of them and didn't know they even existed in Utah.

On the lake we were considerably squished into my little boat, but had an amazing view of the stars. It was so peaceful and serene, we all loved it. In the morning we went out again, except I was swimming in my wetsuit some of the time. But I did learn that it is a good idea to make sure your fishing pole is secure before you jump out of the boat because Katie may or may not have been holding it, and she may or may not have let go for fear of her life because you jump out in such a was that could have tipped the boat. Either way, my fishing pole (which was really my dad's) may or may not have ended up at the bottom of the lake that day.

Lessons learned from today's post: (also from the experiences that the aforementioned post are based upon) 1. Camping is fun. 2. Sugar is bad. 3. Rafts are fun. 4. Lavender oil in water really doesn't keep bugs away. 5. Fireflies do exist in Utah! 6. "Where the Wild Things Are" is a weird movie. 7. Reheating sticky rice in tin foil on a campfire doesn't work. 8. Don't wear flip-flops and/or shorts camping in a place densely populated with various "itchy-bitey" insects. 9. Fishing poles don't float. and 10. Camping is the one of the only times I can really clear my mind and just think... or not think whatever the case may be.

Book Review: "In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto"

Michael Pollan, who appears on the documentary: "Food Inc." and author of "The Omnivore's Dilemma" (which I have yet to read) hits the nail right on the head with this book. It is very fascinating, and one of the easiest non-fiction reads I have encountered. His writing style is both entertaining and informative.

I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in food, eating, and/or nutrition. Learn about what you are likely eating every day and how it can affect you. "In Defense of Food" teaches the history on "nutritionism" and explains the marketing strategies that have turned our grocery stores into vast warehouses of "food-like substances" that are causing our health as a nation to deteriorate. Take back control over what you eat and how you feel by empowering yourself with the knowledge found in this book.

Note: Unlike similar books and movies on the subject, I did not feel depressed and overwhelmed after reading it, rather I feel better about eating, and actually enjoy it more! While I do not agree with everything he says (namely the stuff about wine being good for you) I think that this book is more than worth reading. If you want a sneak peak into some of the subject matter of the book, check out the 4-part movie series on this fantastic blog.

My First Olympic Triathlon!

This will be a post very similar to the last time I talked about my triathlon experience, and I will just put what I learned this time in here, rather than make a separate post for it again.

Alright here goes, my plans to get to bed early did not work out, neither did my plans to go to sweet tomatoes. I ate a bunch of pasta at home and then just tried to go to bed. Getting everything ready took longer than I thought so I didn't have time to do PM yoga either. That may be the reason I could not fall asleep. I just lay there for an hour or more thinking about the race, and visualizing my triumphant leap through the finish line. Finally I put on a talk from speeches.byu.edu, because those usually put me right out, but it still took lots longer than usual.

When my first alarm went off I turned it off and waited until the second, third, and forth went off. Then I was up, and had "The Final Countdown" in my head (I recommend opening this link in a new tab and listening to the song while you read the post!) while I gathered everything up I had so nicely prepared the night before and at some cereal and a banana. Now I was off. I arrived just on time, that is to say, about an hour early. Which was enough time to look around, stretch, talk to others, and get my body marked, but not way too much time like my first triathlon.

After getting my little transition spot all set up, I put on the ol' wetsuit and got in the water to get acclimated. It wasn't too horrible actually, about 61 degrees with a wetsuit is just fine once your feet go numb, and until you put your face in. They delayed the start for a little while to try to clear a bunch of driftwood out of the way of the course, but let's just say they didn't get it all...

When they announced we would be starting in "3...2...1..." I scrambled to get to the back of the group so I didn't get killed and then jumped in and started swimming. I immediately realized why it is important to have anti-fog drops for your goggles, because even with them it is really hard to see the buoy that you are supposed to swim to. At first I tried to just swim with everyone else, elbows, legs, hands and everything flailing all around me... Then it got less crowded, which was nice. I guess I figured everyone had just kind of found an equilibrium with their surroundings, but I was wondering why I kept hearing a whistle blowing and someone yelling "right, swimmer!" I guess I just figured it was someone else's problem, until I stopped and looked around to see that I was way off course! I tried to re-correct my direction and the next time I checked I was off again! It is terribly difficult to swim in a straight line in a lake when the water is moving, the water is cloudy, and there is no line on the bottom to follow. It was all I could do to try to stay with the "herd" but even this didn't always workout, since some of them would stray off too. (See diagram below)

I was already tired and only a sixth into it, and I knew there was only one way to keep my cool: pretend I was not in a triathlon. I would stop for a couple seconds and say hello to the lifeguards, or tell them good morning, just as if I was out on a beautiful summer day for a leisurely dip. When I ran into someone I would politely say "excuse me" and keep going. Last time I could afford to be a little competitive in the swim and committed myself to doing only freestyle stroke. This time, anything was fair game. I would switch to breast every now and then to get my bearings and look for the buoys, then I would do backstroke when I got tired and then I would slap someone on accident and switch back to freestyle, only to find that I had been going completely off course. If swimming straight in a lake is hard, backstroke is 10 times worse! At one point I switched to backstroke after rounding a buoy and when I got my bearings again I found out I had actually been going backwards. And even when I could get myself moving forwards, the buoys seemed to be swimming away from me. Oye ve.

The good news is, even though you may think it is not an admirable trait to swim all skiwompus in crazy loops and zig zags, consider the fact that I probably swam farther than anyone else in that lake. So there, I bet I did a half-ironman distance swim, actually. But while I'm speaking of skiwompusness, there was one guy who I think made it his personal mission to swim in a crazy floating zig zag pattern specifically designed to block my progress. Oh well.

Anyway, a few more collisions with people and driftwood as well as a few swallows of lake water to keep hydrated, I made it out of the lake in one piece. I must have been one of the last ones because there were hardly any bikes in the transition area! One glance backwards confirmed my suspicions. I think there were only 2 or 3 Olympic distance swimmers left in the lake, and one was a girl! (they start several minutes after the men). Oh well, at least my bike was easy to find.

I admit it, I was too tired to do a really fast transition, so I took my sweet time, and was a little nervous in getting on the bike because my legs were already sore due to the variety of strokes I had to use to stay alive in the lake, and my arms were so sore that I could hardly support my torso by holding on to the handlebars! I managed to get up and going though, this time not so gung-ho about passing everyone, even though I did a few, of course. Then my morale took another hit when the first place kid came zooming in on his bike shortly after I got on mine.

26 miles is a long way, and it feels even longer when the first half of the bike leg is all uphill. I was happy to have a long downhill stretch to look forward to though. I tried my first GU packet at this point, and it wasn't bad, I just hoped it helped me get back some energy because people were passing me, which is unacceptable, even though most of them were sprint distance people, so they had half the distance to go. Ultimately, I think everyone passed me except for one blessed soul though. He was my motivation to keep going strong, to keep me safe from last place! I beat him to the top of the hill and turned around for the downhill half, only to feel a gust of wind in my face. Terrific. But I was still doing good, until I noticed a girl with a flat tire. As I went by I yelled out, "do you have everything you need?" and she said, "um... yeah..." Not a good sign. So I turned around and biked back to her only to find out she had no clue how to change a flat. I had kept telling myself I just wanted to finish, and not worry about the time, so I helped her. As I did, that other guy zoomed by. Oh well. Once she was good to go, I got back on course and she was close behind me the whole time, but I never let her pass me. Until the run, at least...

As I biked into the transition area, I passed people who had finished and were heading home. I knew most of them were sprinters, but it was still a little disheartening. But then I saw my 3 friends Amber, Lisa, and Tosh walking and cheered that they came and they cheered for me. That renewed my zeal as I got off my bike, slipped my shoes on with my new rubber laces I had just bought (which are fabulous by the way) and grabbed a GU packet and took off running.

The transition wasn't too bad, thanks to the brick workouts I've been doing, but I couldn't finish the GU packet because it made me thirsty so I just ran with it and it got all over me! (but I didn't want to litter!) I passed my friends again who were in the middle of making signs, my favorite was an unfinished one that Tosh read aloud as I ran by, "You are doing GREAT, keep..." it was quite funny. It wasn't long after that when the girl who I helped with her bike ran past me, and for the remainder of the run I was left to battle it out for last place with this woman twice my age. I kind of set my pace to hers, and she started taking little walking breaks so I caught up with her, we were neck and neck for a mile or two, and made it through the first lap, still fighting for second-to-last place.

This part was torture! I think it is unfair to have to run 2 laps because then you know what is ahead and that is no fun, because then I just dread the hills! But to make matters worse, the second lap starts about 10 feet from the finish line, to be right there and then have to run away again, oh... pure psychological torture. I think that is one reason I ended up "hitting the wall" (as they say) a little later and had to take a walking break. Fortunately, I can walk pretty fast because of my long legs, and she would walk periodically too so we were still close. Eventually though, she pulled away from me and I kept run/walking after her. I got my 6th or 7th wind (I think I used up my second one in the swim) as I got close to the finish line, and was able to run the rest of the way there. My friends were there cheering me on, and I ran up to the finish line and mustered all the energy I could to "leap" through it like I had pictured myself doing, but with the way my legs were, I'm sure it was more of pathetic hop, than a triumphant leap.

But I finished! That is the cool thing, and despite pretty much everyone else being done before me, I still got a time that I was okay with, around 3 1/2 hours. And even better news: I found out I wasn't last! There was at least 2 people behind me somewhere. One person who apparently had gotten lost during the run when they took a wrong turn, and an old grandma lady. Bless their hearts.

Then I had learned that Amber won a gift certificate (that she gave to me) for being the most supportive fan there, and even cheering for everyone else too. My friends are the best! They even shaded and fanned me as I lay on the ground and as I stretched. Not to mention that they got me a whole quart of chocolate milk that I drank on the way home. I doubt they will ever know how much it meant to me to have them there cheering me on. And especially to have them there to give me and my bike a ride back to my car because there is no way I had another 3 miles left in me to get back to it myself!

During the ride home my feet were so sore it hurt to even just have shoes on, and for some reason even my fingers were sore. But man, was it nice to shower and take a nice long nap when I got home...

THE END

Training

Both in honor of my Triathlon tomorrow, and in response to request from a reader, (Shayla, this is for you) I have decided to do a post that outlines my basic training strategies over the last months.

I did not have money for a coach, so I read almost everything I could find to get an idea of what to do, I would frequently check out USA Triathlon's website, as well as Active.com. And if you are into keeping logs and stuff, which I have not the patience for, beginnertriathlete.com is very helpful. I would also read books and magazines, and recommend: "Triathlon 101" by John Mora.

The first step is to register for the event, and make sure you give yourself enough time. Having paid $70.00 or so, should help keep you committed. I didn't do this at first because I got the Triathlon bug in the fall, and there were no races to sign up for, but I knew I would in the spring. I would go to the gym and stuff throughout fall and early winter, but it wasn't until closer to when I had a specific date in mind that my training gained a lot of structure.

It doesn't take a coach to know that you should focus on your weaknesses first, so that is what I did. I was horrible at swimming, so I committed myself to swim 3 times a week, and I then I would run 2 days a week, and bike once. It took me a month or two until I could swim more than two laps with relatively decent technique, and that was gained from watching others, taking their advice (if it was good) and you tube videos. But be careful who you take swimming advice from, a lot of people don't know what they are talking about.

The weeks went on, and I would add a lap each time I went swimming, add a mile every now and then while running, and eventually incorporating new things into my workouts like Yoga and weight training. And when I reached a milestone, (Half marathon run and mile swim) Sickness struck. This was awful, because I had to work back up to where I was, and then I got sick again like a month later. (Thus, the last post!)

Things have a way of conspiring against you to test your commitment. Even though I successful dodged the sickness bullet recently, I did manage to fall pretty hard on a run the other day and take some skin off of my knees. That held me up in running and swimming for another week. Things get frustrating, some days it is like pulling teeth to work out, and you don't know why running two miles is so hard, when last week you did ten! But you never know how your body might be doing one day, so cut yourself some slack.

One thing I did not have a problem with during my training is eating enough. When you are training hard you have to eat a lot more, especially carbohydrates. Do not think that significantly increasing exercise without increasing calories is a good idea. It may be good for weight loss, but it is not good for your health, and it is certainly not good for your training. You need those calories for energy and recovery, if your muscles can't recover properly, then your workout was wasted.

While I'm on the subject of carbs, let me just explain "carbo-loading."

• Who? This is a good idea for endurance athletes, who are racing for an hour or more. A sprinter need not carbo-load.
• What? It is a way to increase the amount of energy (glycogen) your body stores in the muscles.
• Why? So you you can go farther, faster. Duh!
• When? You can do it over time to gradually build up your glycogen stores, and then typically the night before a race, like a marathon or triathlon, just TANK UP on carbs! (Mind you these should be complex carbs, not donuts, cake, and rice krispee treats)
• Where? Buffets are good, my favorite is Sweet Tomatoes/Souplantation.
• How? See also, "where." Just eat a bunch of carbs, particularly the night before a race. (There is a more exact science on how to do it, if you care, click here.)
  

So there's most of my training experience. If you are doing a triathlon, make sure to do some brick workouts, so you are not surprised on race day at how much it sucks to go from bike to run, and if you are marathoning, go at least 20 miles on your own, and make sure it is not too much of a struggle. We like surprises, just not on race day.

Other than that, some last tidbits of random advice...

Train with a friend, it is much easier. Tell everyone what you are doing, it helps to make you feel accountable to them, and gets you more excited. Know your limits and listen to your body, if your resting pulse goes up or you get sick often, cut back. Make sure you are getting at least 8 hours of sleep at night, really. (Especially the week or two before a race) Make sure you enjoy it, it is okay to hate it sometimes, that may be inevitable, but love it at least half the time. If you think long runs or bikes are boring, get books on tape, they are awesome. Stretch, especially afterwords. Mix it up, take different routes and don't always try to add more distance, sometimes work on speed, sometimes just take a walk and let your body recover. Ease up on the training the week of the race. Stay off the scale, don't focus on weight loss, focus on training, the rest will take care of itself.

There you have it, almost all of my training experience in a nutshell. Now, if you'll excuse me I have to go to Sweet Tomatoes before PM yoga and getting to bed early. Wish me luck, I will doubtless post tomorrow on how great I did.

How to NOT Get Sick

As any of you who have read my blog know, the last time I did a Triathlon, I got sick 2 weeks before. Because of this, my swimming was sub-par on race day and my entire training schedule had a big nasty wrench thrown in it. I learned from that experience, that it takes approximately 2 weeks to fully recover from being sick, and get back to where you were in your training when you started feeling ill.

Needless to say, when my nephew and sister got sick a week or so ago, I took every precaution, and when I started feeling that dreaded "scratchy throat" feeling with my biggest triathlon yet in ONE week, I was desperate. I tried almost everything I knew that could possibly prevent illness, and tried to learn more and do that too.

The good news is: something that I did, or maybe a combination of things worked, and my scratchy throat was better in a day or two with no disruptions to my training. So for the benefit of those of you who also consider "s-i-c-k" to be a four letter word, I decided to post the list of 10 things I've done to help my immune system emerge victorious...

1. Prayer
I did a lot of begging, pleading, and bargaining with the Lord because I know that what is important to us is important to Him, and unless necessary for our own growth or experience, He is happy to help us out if we will just ask.


2. Positive Thinking
This one almost goes hand in hand with number one, as it is in my opinion a way to exercise your faith. But even if you are not religious, there is a lot of power that comes with the way you think and visualize things. We can truly attract what we think about and visualize, good or bad. I think I may do a post on this later, when I can go into more depth. For now, just don't say or think what you don't want to happen.


3.Vitamin C
This is probably the most well known precaution known to man. I am not sure how much of the effect is a placebo and how much is valid, but I took enough vitamin C pills/chewables to kill a small horse. (This was easy to do because the chewable ones taste really good!)


3 1/2. Airborne
I know that this stuff is mostly Vitamin C and is listed as number 3.5, but it also has some herbal stuff and zinc or something in there to help, so I drank 2 or 3 of those a day.


4. Eucalyptus Oil
Of course I have to throw in an Essential Oil remedy or some of my readers might be disappointed. (...Amber) Rubbing 2 drops of pure Eucalyptus Oil on the bottom of your feet after showering is a great way to strengthen your immunity. I did this a couple of times a day, as well as sleeping with a little Eucalyptus and Lavender on a tissue in my pillow case. (You can also diffuse EO's to kill airborne germs in your home. (Namely Spruce, Cinnamon, Frankincense, and any Citrus oils)


5. Water
They say when you get sick to drink lots of clear fluids and get lots of rest, I say to do the same thing to avoid getting sick. I drank a LOT water the last week, and I got a LOT of rest. This helps to keep your body clean and free of toxins that weaken your immunity. Also, don't be afraid to get really sweaty, that is a great way to clear your body of toxins as well. I think you can "sweat it out" when it comes to some sicknesses, especially in the early stages. Also, cut down on dairy intake until you feel a lot better, dairy increases mucous production, which is where the germs live that make you sick.


6. Common Sense
We should always be eating lots of fruits and veggies and avoiding sugar. But this holds ESPECIALLY true for when sickness is more of a possibility. I'm already on a "Dessert Fast", (as you know) and I think that helped a lot, but I also ate tons of fruit the last couple weeks, melons in particular. FYI: The amount of sugar in one can of soda can lower the efficacy of the immune system for several hours by almost half! And we all know to wash our hands frequently (but NOT with anti-bacterial soap!) and not touch our face a lot.


7. Nasal Cleansing
When I first heard what a "Neti Pot" was, I was completely freaked out by the idea. Basically you just pour salt water up your nose, and it cleans out your sinuses, it feels great and is quite entertaining to watch the water come out of the other nostril. And when you have clean sinuses, you have no germy mucous to get you sick.


8. Bom Dia
Danielle gave me this advice, and it is actually quite an enjoyable remedy. Near the produce section of the grocery store, where they sell the "POM" and "Naked" Juice is a product called "Bom Dia" it is a mix of Acai berry juice, and others that have tons of antioxidants. I got the Mangosteen one, and it was really good. The only downside is that they are a little pricey, about $3.00 for one 8oz bottle. But totally worth it!


9. "Cold Kicker"
I got this recommendation from Salt Lake Running Co.'s Blog. It is a juice concoction of raw carrots, ginger, and garlic. It really sizzles the taste buds, but I can't see how it couldn't help.


10. Homeopathic Potion
This is one that I only use in severely drastic circumstances. I have only ever used this potion twice. The first time was to end a month-long sickness on my mission, and the other was just last week. It may be the worst thing I have ever tasted. It is a mix of Echinacea, Cat's Claw, Goldenseal, and Grapefruit Seed Extract. It is so terribly bitter, and the echinacea will numb your tongue and throat if it is not diluted, so you have to put a tablespoon or so into a bottle of water and sip it throughout the day. It is truly awful, but it truly works.

The other options are ones I do not really suggest, some try Zicam, Tylenol, Ibuprofen, or flu shots. I think that all of these will only contribute to a weaker body and immune system in the long run and make your body more dependent on them, rather than helping your body do its job more efficiently. So there you have it, stay healthy!

Book Review: "The Complete Book of Essential Oils & Aromatherapy"

This book by Valerie Ann Worwood is the best one I have found on the subject of essential oils. It contains useful and interesting information on the history of Aromatherapy and the various uses for essential oils. It has a great index that makes it easy to find what essential oils are good for what problems, how to use them, precautions, and even why and how they work. Valerie Ann certainly did her homework on this one, and I recommend it to anyone who wants to learn about and use EO's for themselves. I got it from the library, but plan to purchase it as a reference book to keep on hand.

Other noteworthy books on the subject are "The Aromatherapy Bible: The Definitive Guide to Using Essential Oils" by Gill Farrer-Halls and "The A-to-Z of Essential Oils: What They Are, Where They Come From, How They Work" by Joy Bowles. The former is a very easy read that is good for any beginner or newcomer to the subject, and focuses a lot on aromatherapy massage as well as making your own oil blends, and has an excellent list of essential oils in the back and information on each one. The latter is basically an encyclopedia that goes into depth on each oil, the pictures are fantastic, and the detail is quite impressive. So if you want to get the nitty gritty on Tea Tree Oil, its scientific name, origins, potency, or just want to see what a "tea tree" looks like, then this is the book for you.

As a final note on the subject, if you are at all interested in Essential Oils, but not enough to invest a whole bunch of time into buying/ reading a book, I have posted a link to my favorite Essential Oil Blog here.

Book Review Monday!

In the interest of giving a little more structure to my blog, while at the same time motivating myself to read more, I have decided to start a new tradition...

Book Review Monday!

It is pretty self explanatory I suppose, each Monday I will post a review of a book I have read recently (or maybe a while ago) and tell you if I liked it or if it stunk...stank? I will also try to just give a brief overview and tell you why or why not I recommend it and any other comments I feel like making.

Anyway, in order to celebrate the ushering in of this new exciting tradition, today you get 3 book reviews for the price of one! Enjoy.