Tag! Yer it!

I didn't realize that my fascination with RSS Feeds would cause me to spend so much time on this blog. I have been way to obsessed with this.

You can see that I have updated the template and added some RSS stuff. More may come in the future, but I am playing around.

Something to post today. I was called out by my friend Scott to write a journal entry with six random facts about yourself. Then pick six of your friends list and tag them – no tag-backs! These rules should be included in your entry.

1. I have a rare genetic metabolic disorder which affects an individual's ability to properly digest the sugar galactose. Lactose in food (such as dairy products) is broken down by the body into glucose and galactose. Normally, galactose is then converted into glucose by the enzyme. This is called galactosemia. For this reason, I don't drink milk, eat ice cream and read ingredient lists regularly.

2. The significant car wreck that Scott refers to on his blog was unfortunately as a passenger in my sister's car. Unfortunate for me, I was driving. Did I mention, this was my sister's car? I think you get the idea. (Good story here - perhaps for a future blog.)

3. I had no cavities in my mouth until 18 years of age. I did have chipped teeth before this age, and time has caught up with me, as I have had several root canal operations since. (again, another good story, I might write about my chipped tooth later as well. Remind me...)

4. This year I have fixed my toilet all by myself, and fix my electrical problem (no lights in bathroom) all by myself.

5. I was in attendance when Cal Ripken Jr completed his 3000 hit. I have a baseball card that commemorates this event.

6. I know how to play the Tuba, Trombone, Piano, and Accordion. I am trying to learn to play the guitar.


TAG to these people:

Dave M.
Dave E.
Dave A.
Dave B.
Amanda W.
Andy H.
Mary R.



more later,

Chazz

See you next weekend..

I will be travelling this weekend, so no post.

As an "Information Developer" (my new title at work), I have been working on publishing and information communication concepts. The latest idea is RSS Feeds. My blog is now RSS capable, which means you can be updated in your RSS Reader when new posts become available.

If you use Firefox, you will see the Subscribe button at the end of the URL. Clicking on this will let you add the RSS Feed to your bookmark or toolbar. Otherwise, you can:

Subscribe to Chazz Vader - FAT 2 FIVEK

Tell me if you think this is helpful.

Next up - podcasting.... It may take a while to get there, but it might happen in 2007..

more later

Chazz

"You are eating well" - anonymous woman in line at SuperTarget

Motivation:

"Never stand begging for what you have the power to earn."
~Miguel de Cervantes

Diary:

Note that the Diary section is changing somewhat due to the weekly post instead of a daily post.
I am going to try and remember my weekly meal highlights and workouts. Here is my first try:

Meals: I am currently eating meals as follows:

Breakfast = 1 egg and 1 fruit, and choice of cereal + milk OR slice of low-calorie whole grain toast + smart balance butter.

Lunch = 1 Protien, 2 Vegetables, 1 Fruit, 1 Starch. (For example a salad with 2 cups of green vegetables, 2 hard boiled eggs, an apple and a slice of low-calorie whole grain bread.)

Dinner = 1 Protien, 2 Vegetables, 1 Fruit, 1 Starch. Same as above.

I also am taking vitamins and supplements to help with weight loss and energy upkeep. I am drinking 80 oz of water a day (usually somewhere between 80 and 100 oz) I use Morton Lite Salt for my salt and splenda packets for sugar, when needed.

I am starting to look at spices and using spices in my meals. I am starting to cook my meals regularly and have a nice cookbook that deals with making single meals for a single person.


So, let's look at this last week - I will highlight a couple of meals. For example:
Curried Catfish Madras = Fish (Catfish) + Green Onions + Tomato + Apple. This is baked together with some curry and other herbs/spices. I crumbed an ak-mak cracker on the top, and this made a pretty good meal. I felt pretty glad about how the veggies and the apple mixed well together.
Stuffed Pepper = Ground Turkey + Green Onions + Green Pepper + Tomato. Again, a baked item, mix the ingredients with spices of choice and put into a green pepper, then bake. I also crumbled a slice of whole-grain bread into the mix before baking. It turned out like a meatloaf inside the pepper. It was yummy.

I also worked out twice this week - 30 minutes on the elliptical machine. I also swept the snow at church on Wednesday (15 minutes) and other odd jobs - made a point to walk more - park farther away from work and shopping.

I have calculated the new stats (as of Feb 04) on the right sidebar.

Notes:

For those of you who don't yet know, I did get a new job this year. I was unemployed during January, after funding ended for my 2006 job. I am going to be working for Stellent, Inc, in Eden Prairie, MN. I started working on Monday, and I am pleased so-far, but I feel like I am a little behind in my learning curve. Things are changing at this company, and I am trying to stay up to speed.

Thanks for the nice birthday cards and greetings. I appreciate all of the messages and pictures.
I had fun this week looking through the collection of "Cooking Light" magazines that my sister left for me. I have had them in a bag for many months, and decided to look through them for recipie ideas for single meals, or as I like to call them - "self-made bachelor meals".

I found a few that I liked, including some salads that require only a few ingredients.

At SuperTarget, I used up the last of my Target Gift Card, and purchased fruits and veggies (berries, bean sprouts, grapes, apples, cucumber, jalepeno peppers, pablano pepper, whole grain bread, soy milk, shrimp) I also purchased some spices to use in my cooking. -Curry, Garam Masala, Chinese 5-Spice, and something called "Apple Spice", containing Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Clove and other baking spices. I hope to use this on baked fruit for a healthy dessert. As I type, I am opening and sniffing the spices I bought. The Apple Spice smells divine, and the Chinese 5-spice smells exactly as the description on the back indicates: A fragrant, warm-sweet flavor. I am a big fan of Curry, as I have been in India, Nepal and China, and enjoy the classic southern India flavor. The Garam Masala is a curry blend, but does not contain turmeric and is a warmer, deeper flavor. (It is hard to explain "warm" as a flavor, but if Curry is described as "Bright", then I guess "Warm" is an ok word to use.)

While in line, a woman behind me exclaimed "You are really eating well... healthy, I mean." I guess I am, but found it funny that someone would proclaim that out loud. No hotdogs, donughts, soda, packaged chips, etc. I guess everything I bought, excpet for the bread and soy milk, was raw, natural, real food.

I indicated to her that I was just trying to figure out how to use spices. She indicated I should go to "Penzeys" http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/penzeyscatalog.html. Penzeys speciallizes in spices and they have a store in St. Paul. The lady indicated that they will help you decide what to use and they have a lot of pre-made spice mixes that they have specially made. This is the 2nd time Penzeys was recommended to me. The key for me is to find spice mixes that don't have SALT or SUGAR added. I will add Morton Lite Salt as directed.

TIme to make lunch - I am going to use some of my new spices!

more later...

Chazz