On a lighter note...

About two months ago, I started changing my diet again. Some of the things either no longer in the mix or only in true moderation are: Sweets/sugar, wheat products, and dairy.

Of course this is restrictive, but there are many, many great things you can still eat. In fact, it forces you to think about other foods that have been crowded out with "norm" foods: things that we're conditioned to think we should have every day because they're the most available (and frankly not the healthiest options, they're just what's for sale). While sweets are out of the mix, I still eat fruit and small amounts of dried fruit.

What's so great about this? Well, weight loss isn't one of them to be honest with you. Here's what I've noticed:

• My blood sugar is much more stable which translates to better energy throughout the day (mental and physical).
• Skin issues are also long gone - no pimples whatsoever.
• My mind is clearer
• No more heartburn
• I get to go to the bathroom every single day.  Yes, that's a big deal.

This is very "no-mores" focused, but let's face it, when you're banging your head against the wall to fix a lot of seemingly unconnected, nagging issues, you notice their absence. For me, that absence is met with relief - I can focus on many other things.

Nobody's been able to explain some of the metabolic/energy issues I've had throughout my life, but it's good to get to this point.  Getting people to fixate on themselves is really, really big business.  I hate that about our culture, by the way. Google "Googlechondria" and you'll see what I mean.

I don't need any magic fixes or diets or pills or fancy diagnoses.  I'm just thankful to have found what works enough.    

Well, I was with Pat Condell, Until...

I realized how incredibly anti-Christian he is. I can't support or repost material from someone who calls Jesus the Greatest Lie Ever Told.

Now, I don't think it's necessary to go into all the reasons that he's wrong. That would crash the internet. And thankfully, it's above my pay grade.

Islam and Bedbugs

Here is all you need to know about Islam and Islamist societies. You don't have like it, in fact nobody should, but for the sake of all human society, acknowledge what we're up against. Yes, we.

Bibi Netanyahu and Barack Obama in Their Early 20s

So many conversations can be started with this photo comparison of Bibi and Barack in their early 20s. Here are a few quick hits that came to mind for me:

- Bibi is gorgeous.

- The difference is startling: One photo demonstrates manliness, responsibility, courage, wisdom, adulthood, purpose, confidence in oneself, and intelligence. The other represents running away from oneself, fitting in, sloth, siphoning, waiting, childhood, skating by.

Who would you rather have standing next to you in a crisis situation. Who would you rather have standing next to you if you had been in NY when the Twin Towers were collapsing. Who is going to stand by your side when times get tough. Who is going to run or look to you instead and expect you to take care of things for them, instead of setting themselves aside so that both of you can survive?

Who has the will? Who has the strength to lay down their life for you?

I believe we should all be willing to rise to the occasion and sacrifice for and with one another, through the grace of God. Without that grace, we're shells... we're the guy on the right side of the pic.

Where do you want to stand? Or sit...?

Ave Maria, Gratia Plena

Courtesy of Jimmy Bice, @jimmiebjr

Well worth your time..

Wouldn't you like to support a cute little ballerina like this?

Who can say no to this little dancing queen? Nobody? That's what I said!

Okay, the little girl is me, many moons ago at Milwaukee Montessori school on 45th and State. But the news is good because you can still support me as I raise $500 for the United Performing Arts Fund. UPAF provides financial support to 34 performing arts groups in our community, like the Milwaukee Youth Orchestra, First Stage Children's Theater, and the Tap and Mad Hot Ballroom classes at Danceworks. For more information about UPAF's mission click here.

Every little bit helps, and I would be enormously grateful for your support if you can swing it. Knowing you've supported me will provide the extra motivation as I bike across the Hoan bridge. How so?

Donations through the blog will earn you the best advertising money can get. Well actually it's not advertising per se...

If you donate through the blog - I will write your name and donation amount on my very own limbs on the day of the ride. Just enter "Go Phel!" in the comment section for your donation and "Whallah!", you're a write-in for race day. Prime real estate such as quads and forearms go to the highest donations.

Here is the link to my donation page. Or cut and paste the URL:

http://events.upaf.org/OFR/dsp_ParticipantPage.cfm?idEvent=2&idUser=7188
And thanks for your support!

Cannot Haz Cheezburger....

Just on Fridays, kitteh. Pat pat pat.

Photos from the Carolinas Road Trip

I'm back, y'all. Hopefully for just one more year or so, and then get myself moved to Charleston.  The purpose of the trip was to see if Charlotte, NC was a fit for me, and if you read my prior post you know that it's not.  Is Charleston heaven?  Well, not especially, but the quality of life can't be beat.  I felt very much at home in the south and I believe in my heart that I've found... my home.

Here is the route that I drove, I clocked just under 1400 miles:

http://mapq.st/gx7oWb

Part of the joy of the trip was taking pictures, and both Carolinas have great subject matter.  South Carolina more so, in my opinion.  Would you like to see the pictures?  I can't lie, I'm extremely happy with the way they turned out.  Lucky for me, I chose to be in Charleston during the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War, and I took many pictures of the "soldiers" that made the pilgrimmage.

Here is my general Carolinas set:



And the set of the Soldiers - which I highly recommend:



Stay tuned for another post on my observations from the trip. I made many mental notes, and you all know how that goes: great brilliant thoughts while you're driving that don't usually make it to paper. It's a lot like waking up in the middle of the night with the cure for cancer. What? That never happens to you? I must be special :)

So What Happens When You Have a Brand New City?

Everything is so nice that it's boring.

I checked out Charlotte, NC today. My deep dark secret is that I want to move to the southeast, so this is my way of taking off the rose colored glasses to be sure of what I want. This would be a big move for me if I decide to do it.

The first thing that struck me about Charlotte is that it looks like the entire city was built at the same time - within the last ten years. There had to be a time when every city block was under construction. Everything is new, I was hard pressed to find anything old, at all. Because of that, I surmise that this is a very nice, successful city with no personality. Everything is new, mostly chain, and highly functional. People from most walks of life and all races carry themselves in a much more honorable manner than I'm accustomed to. And people are very friendly, they look you in the eye. Technically it's everything I've looked for, but I can't put my finger on why I'm not completely sold on it.

It's upscale, too. I appreciate upscale. You can buy very nice things here because they sell them. Clothing and furnishings and other services are not "catalog" and the same old... boring styles made of crappy material.  And all cultures and races are well dressed - families are intact and look cohesive - not dragged around. Kids aren't bitchy, you don't catch hell for making eye contact with strangers.

There is no litter. Charlotte is clean, even in the lower income areas. The roads are all intact.

There is no water and it's completely landlocked. I have to wonder if that's part of what strikes me as off. The lack of historical areas is also strange to me. Outside of downtown there are older buildings from the 60s and 70s and much of that is still functional, just not flashy and well planned like downtown and the city.

I don't know. Maybe I was expecting Chicago but south. And I know it's only been one day and I'm probably not giving it as much of a chance, or let it sink in yet. I'm sure I could make my home here, but I worry that I might feel understimulated. I'll be back here later on my trip and I might feel very differently once I get a chance to see more of the state.

What would I miss?  Aside from my family and life in Milwaukee?
Bay View, Rockabilly, Honky Tonks, fun Americana shows.  I might even miss some of the hipsterness of Riverwest, but I wouldn't miss the disposable scene of east Brady street and being aggressively hit up for change. I'd trade that for people who actively care about their lives, anyday, regardless of how vanilla.

JoAnne Kloppenburg Re-Victimizes Sex Abuse Victims

Yes, she does.

And there is a special place in hell for people like her, right next to sex abusers.

Miss Kloppenburg, do you have any idea how much sexual abuse destroys a child's life?

Completely. Children don't have the capacity to understand and navigate the shame they feel, they don't sort that out until many years later. And guess what! Child sex abuse is a gift that keeps on giving - the victim is never free - and they are left holding the bag. There is no magic bullet to healing, they have to clean up the situation and many of them never can. There is no full recourse for sex abuse victims. They are some of the most vulnerable of all victims.

Because their perceptions are damaged, many victims go on to be re-victimized. That is how life can align itself for the abuse victim. No, that doesn't make sense to the non-sexually-abused, but victims understand it completely. On top of this, abusers can smell the formerly abused from miles away.

So to have Kloppenburg running this ad and deliberately NOT asking for the ad to be pulled only says one thing: she condones it. She condones reactivating all of the emotions, messed up perceptions, shame and feelings of filth in two victims and quite honestly - in many victims. I hope that the victims SUE THE SHIT out of her for emotional damage.

She should be fully ashamed of herself and go hide in a cave, forever, for compelling a sex abuse victim, who just wants to get on with his life, to publicly refute her ad and proclaim the truth about being victimized. Now that, is pure evil.

A trip down memory lane with...

Cookie Monster...

Nothing Like Being Harassed by Your Own Employer

Since when does a Marquette harass it's own employees, let alone a law professor?

Well it's happening.

Marquette Warrior: Marquette Warrior Blogger Harassed by Provost John Pauly

It's a lengthy read for those of you who are faint of heart and focus. So if you're not into proof or facts and only understand hearsay, you can skip this reading exercise altogether. So just remember this instead: if your employer is John Pauly and you agree with his politics (instead of the other way around), you're probably just fine. Until you change your mind. And someday, you will.

Dear God;

Thank you.

Sincerely,
Women

I Wasn't Planning to Post This to the Blog... but....

Since I've given up Twitter and Facebook for Lent, I'm left with fewer options to promote my participation in the UPAF Ride for the Arts. You see, I'm going all in. Not only am I going to finish my route - starting with biking across the Hoan bridge - I'm going to raise an additional $500 for UPAF.

I'm still pretty new to cycling, so this will be very challenging for me. I'm also about as new to fund raising as I could be, but I'm ready to put myself out there and ask you for your financial support for my ride. Even if you can make a small donation, it will be very appreciated. Not just for me, but for kids and young adults in the community who like me, derived much benefit from the arts while growing up.

Knowing you've supported me will provide the extra motivation as I bike across the Hoan bridge. How so?

Donations through the blog will earn you the best advertising money can get. Well actually it's not advertising per se...

If you donate through the blog - I will write your name and donation amount on my very own limbs on the day of the ride. Just enter "Go Phel!" in the comment section for your donation and "Whallah!", you're a write-in for race day. Prime real estate such as quads and forearms go to the highest donations.

So don't let me down... help me give back to the community :)

Here is the link to my donation page. Or cut and paste the URL:

http://events.upaf.org/OFR/dsp_ParticipantPage.cfm?idEvent=2&idUser=7188

And thanks for your support!

In Soviet Russia, You Own Avalanche