SueWorks

Been A While

I haven't been able to easily publish, yes, that is my excuse.  Also, I've been lonely the blog world.  Mostly I've been working.  Nothing fancy.

I recently took a personality profile that says I'm not social, and I feel bad.  While, yes, I'm more introverted than not I really don't want to be that way.  What social skill building exercised should I partake in? 

Let me think about that for a while, meanwhile look at the deer.

My Biggest Fan

... is incommunicado for the next few days.  She's my motivation for writing, along with the other bloggers like Beancounter and PsychoBunny, both of whom are on self-imposed blogging sabbaticals.  Darn them for having lives that are full without the blog!

Does that mean that I have no life, therefore I blog?  What a sad thought!  Shouldn't it be the other way around, I have a full life so full that it spills over to these "pages" of the Internet. I'll have to ponder that for a while.  In the meantime, let me share what a friend sent me on Monday, seems very Monday-appropriate:

It's Thursday, I know.  See how full my life is, Monday blends into Thursday.  Oh no, that seems very bad for the full life argument.

Did I mention we're going to the LA County Fair this week?  I'm not sure if there will be chocolate-covered bacon.  Pkin ate it when it was given to him but I'm not sure if he'll wait in line and fork over cash, but we are leaving the pork-eschewing friends at home so anything is possible.  I hear there is another possible activity with the pork-prohibitive folks as well.  Pkin has all the details.

See, full life!

The Problem with American Health Care

It's so simple.  My insurance will pay nearly 100% to manage diabetes but will pay nearly nothing to help me lose weight or exercise.  They will pay for insulin, syringes and even pumps but not for pills to help my metabolism so I don't develop diabetes.

A girlfriend has been exploring the lap band for weight loss.  She likes to say "the insurance will pay for drug rehab but not for 'fat camp'."  You almost want to develop a drug problem; heck you'll probably lose weight in the process and then the insurance will kick in!  It's almost that absurd.

I think a major problem with health care is the ineffective use of funds.  I know how I would spend my dollars on health but I can't.  I have to pay for the premiums and get the coverage the insurance provides.  Now if I could design my own plan, I'd go to fat camp and bring my friend too.

Bakerina

I've looked at her blog before, but I re-found it.  Take a look!  The posts are spare right now but very engaging. 

If I can figure out how to add Bakerina to interesting links, you'll be the second to see it.

It Seems Like ...

Today Fed Reserve Chair Bernanke said that is seems like the bottom of the trough is here and gone, or something like that.  But today I learned that a local DSW Shoes store (I can't find anything on the site, but the store is in the SF Valley) is closing this Fall.  Sure, stores close all the time but not a shoe store!

I love shoe stores!  No matter what size your top is, your feet usually can find something cute, trendy or just plain wonderful to wear.

I don't know what the truth is.  I'm not getting a raise this year, after about 15 years of consecutive annual raises with various employers.  My food bill seems bigger.  I seem to have less cash at the end of week.  I can't keep track of the price of a gallon of gas; it's up, it's down, it's up again.

You just have to wonder!

Aerobic Ballet

Alright, I'm stretching the truth a bit.  On Saturday, Mom and I went down to the local municipal pool for an aqua aerobics class.  We signed up for a four week program. 

As you can imagine there were more women than men, and the only male under 50 was sitting on the lifeguard tower looking rather embarrassed about the whole thing. 

Mom was among three grey haired ladies.  She was a trooper but for some reason cannot stay in one location.  She wandered around in the pool depending on what activity she was doing.  Some made her move to the rear, others to the left.  None kept her in one spot and none moved her forward or to the right.  If I had to guess, had to, I'd say she's bottom heavy and has a dominant left leg.  If I had to say.

I venture to guess that Mom was the oldest.  There was a very cute, "healthy" women in the grey haired league with big diamonds on her ears (Mom noticed those).  I asked her age, only after she inquired about the safety of my Mom with the stryofoam pool tubes.  She is 13 years younger than Mom.  The other older women was probably late sixties.  Whatever the ages, Mom looked the youngest of the three.  I hope I have some of her genes.  (Dad always looked younger when he was younger but age is really hitting him hard these days - another topic for another day.)

We are headed back next week, but then Mom has a conflict for week three.  She's the retired one and she has more "commitments" than I do.

Influence

I heard the most interesting definition today.  Kenny the Monk said that Influence is power based on the future.

Leaders generally have power, the power to give rewards and punishments, or withhold both as well.  Some leaders and some non-leaders have influence; they can change, modify or stop the behaviors for others based solely on that other person wanting to do so in the absence of material consequences.  Some I worked with and respected had great influence and little formal power.  He shied from leadership positions, he didn't need them.  His personality made others follow him or even worship him, but not in an awful "cult of personality" way.  You just wanted to bask in his presence.  I think I veered from the future, maybe the future was you got to spend more time in George's presence.

Just makes you wonder!

Oh 9 Oh 9 Oh 9!

Seemed like I had to comment about it.  I'm sure I'll miss the 9 am, 9 minute bell.  There is a movie 9 out or coming out soon.

Happy Ninth!

Food: Nutrition or Taste Sensation

I'm eating an energy bar, and it's not good but it is free.  The bar is like a dry, crumbly brick.  It is 60g with 230 calories and 10g of protein.  There may not be enough water for my wash it all down.

I have an alternative for my afternoon snack.  A 21g crunchy bar of the same flavor (not!) with 90 cal and 2g of protein.

The more health conscious choice is the former.  It tastes yucky.

What would you do?

A Picture is Worth ...

A photo by K6PLM, as shared by Pkin: