Quick update: Bailey, the unfinished story

Further furnishing the story of Bailey's first canoe ride it's important to know that Bailey loves to point, the bigger the animal the more she like to do it. The Huron River is full of ducks, swans, and geese so you can only imagine, a point loving dog ensconced in birdom, was having the time of her life. Not only did she try to swim after the one goose before we stopped her, she also pointed at everyone we passed. You might think she'd learn that a four legged dog on two legs, trying to stand perfectly still while in a canoe, will lead to utter failure. I love my dog, she is not bright, she fell over. A lot.

Weight loss Wednesdays: I Canoe and you can too!

One of my favorite activities is back in style! I love being on the water, and my favorite water activity is canoeing. Summer is here so we'll be going as often as weather and finances permit. It can be relaxing and tranquil among the bright shades of green that nearly canopy the river and, the sounds of birds singing sweetly in a chorus that only the Pure Moods CD can compete with. And yes I own the CD.

The reality is it's hard work that gets you sweating and working as a team with whomever you choose to canoe with. You enjoy the views and the sounds, it's true, but your arms get an incredible burn while your abs get the workout of the year! Ah canoeing, nature at it's finest and my arms at their strongest.

Kevin and I got some bonus ab workouts this last trip. We took our dog, Bailey, on her first canoe ride and her pacing the first half hour of the outing had us leaning every which way trying to prevent the big flip. Which we did. Successfully. The only thing that got wet was Bailey's right front paw as she toiled with the idea of swimming after a goose to which we both shouted "NO!"

I recommend the canoe as a weight loss/active life tool because it's fairly inexpensive, fun and challenging, and can be tailored to any ability based on where in the river you canoe and how long your trip is.

Nutcracker Auditions: Detroit

I was looking around the web for musical auditions for my friend who is currently without the Internet, (I can't imagine), when I came across an announcement for Joffery Ballet's Nutcracker in Detroit.

It is, of course, the children's audition but, if you're between 8 and 15 years old, I say go for it!



DATE: Saturday, September 27, 2008
PLACE: Ford Center for Arts and Learning, Detroit Opera House (across from Comerica Park)1526 Broadway Detroit, MI 48226 *use Broadway entrance

GROUP A
11 – 15 years old
4’5” – 5’2” tall
4 plus years of ballet training

GROUP B
8 – 14 years old
4’ – 5’2” tall
1 – 4 years of ballet training

Rehearsals start in September and the show runs 6 times Thanksgiving weekend. For full details and how to register, click here.

Orginal image can be found here.

Kool Aid vs Vitamin Water

Everywhere I look people are drinking vitamin water. Not wanting to be left out I bought a bottle. I was astonished by what I found, it was like expensive, adult Kool-Aid. No wonder the sugar addicted populous seems to be toting this colorful bottle around. Parents are giving it to kids, one more thing to get them off the couch and bouncing off the walls. I couldn't even finish it.

Turns out this "super healthy" water which has tons of vitamin C, just like the K, is um, just like the K.

16 grams of sugar in Kool-Aid
13 grams of sugar in Vitamin Water

I'll stick with water.

The dirty little secret

Everyone's got one, here is mine. That's right, here, for the World to see is my secret.

I made a compromise about a something we bought for the house. I didn't feel like arguing anymore at the time. We were getting married and I was searching for that happy sweet state-of-mind so I said "You can pick it out."

I liked almost every one of the 40 or so options that you could choose...yet, of course, he picked one of the three I thought I would never like.

And I lied.

I said it's nice, if you think it is the right one for US then it is.

And he did.

Even with a loaded question like that, he thought it was. So now I am stuck looking at this very expensive something for the rest of my life.

The moral of the story? Speak your mind, cause a fight. Being passive is soooo not worth it. Lesson Learned.

Feel like sharing your own, just post anonymously and only you'll know!

Get the most from your veggies

The latest on veggies from Tara Parker-Pope, well writer for the New York Times:

A growing body of research shows that when it comes to vegetables, it’s not only how much we eat, but how we prepare them, that influences the amount of phytochemicals, vitamins and other nutrients that enter our body.

Read all about it here.

Weight loss Wednesdays: Go Go Goji Power

The last few weeks I have been increasing my goji consumption. Goji berries are famed for their many health boosting qualities such as enhancing immune system function, improving eyesight, protecting the liver, boosting sperm production and improving circulation, among other effects.

They are sometimes called the fountain of youth, a weight loss tool, and people have claimed they help focus their autistic children (and I hope it does) and mellow out ADD kids.

I doubt this miracle berry does all of these things, at least not alone or significantly.

The debate rages on and for now I will keep eating them. They taste good and there are enough benefits in eating fruit to justify it, plus what if they are a miracle fruit?