The Fire Pit » Rants

Budget talks

T.F.P. — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 23:24:28 +0000

I’m sure all normal people are sick and tired of hearing about the stalled budget talks in Washington, D.C. I don’t understand why it is so hard to hammer out a plan. If I ran my household the way Washington runs the country, I’d be homeless and starving.

Budgeting is really pretty simple, isn’t it? If you don’t have enough money coming in to cover current expenses, you must make some cuts — no matter how much they might hurt. Would I hate to have to give up my car or cable or Internet? Yes, of course. But would I give up those things so I could have food on the table? Absolutely. It’s called prioritizing.

Washington wants to have its cake and eat it too. They can’t keep spending at the same rate if they’re not taking in the same amount of money. The only reason programs aren’t getting cut right now is that politicians want to protect their special interests.

I’m not calling anyone out by name because I don’t think it’s one person more than another or one party more than another. ALL of them are failing us now. This situation is ridiculous and needs to be resolved soon.

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Schools banning chocolate milk

T.F.P. — Wed, 11 May 2011 01:21:34 +0000

I just read that many school districts across the country are thinking of banning chocolate milk from their cafeterias. Can you believe it? Do they really think that chocolate milk contributes to obesity problems in this country??? Here’s a clue: Kids are fat not because of what they eat or drink at school but because of what they eat or drink at home!!!! When I was in high school, I lived on Coke and donuts for breakfast, and cheeseburgers, pizza, and fries for lunch. But I never weighed more than 115 pounds because I played sports and walked 45 mins to and from school each day. Why is it that officials always look in the wrong places when trying to make positive changes? Chocolate milk is not the problem here!

African Mango Pills

T.F.P. — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 23:07:06 +0000

I’m still in the midst of my seemingly never-ending quest to lose 5-10 pounds. I think it might be unrealistic to expect to get results simply from exercise alone. I work out for at least 1 hour every day. I run 3-6 miles every other day, and on non-running days, I do a brisk 45-minute walk. I also hit the gym to lift weights once or twice a week, and work with kettlebells on the days I don’t go to the gym. I incorporate the right amount of rest/recovery into the routine, and also change things up with biking, swimming, the Stairmaster, and interval training. I watch what I eat, too, and though I’m not perfect in that area, I don’t exactly pig out on a daily basis. And yet… still no results!! I’m getting physically stronger and there is definite muscle tone in my arms and legs, but I still have a noticeable paunch.

I’m thinking about trying a supplement now, and have heard some people talking about an African mango diet pill. Apparently this product was discussed on Dr. Oz or something like that, and is quite popular. I don’t know if it will work for me, but honestly, what have I got to lose? I can’t spend 2-3 hours per day exercising, so maybe a shortcut is in order. I’m just so tired of this battle — and I know it will simply get worse as I get older. Better do what I can now!

Three more weeks

T.F.P. — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 05:41:16 +0000

I can’t believe I have just three more weeks of grad school left! It has been a long and difficult journey, so I’m anxious to see it come to an end. I plan on celebrating by taking an entire month off and not doing ANY heavy reading or writing during that time. I’ll just read mindless mysteries, watch DVDs, and generally take it easy. I’ve been working hard for the past two years, so I definitely think I deserve a break.

Oh, and one thing I’ve been meaning to do is combine all the papers I’ve written for my classes into a single document to see how many total words I’ve written about education. I’m guessing it would be close to 100,000! Just think if I’d put that kind of effort into a novel instead of essays… maybe I’d be rich by now instead of in debt because of student loans!

Diet soda and stroke risk

T.F.P. — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 21:50:02 +0000

Sigh. When will this ever end? I just read an article about a study that links regular consumption of diet soda with increased stroke risk. The study was extremely vague, however, and couldn’t specify what the links were. Is it because people that drink diet soda have generally poor eating habits? Is it because they don’t exercise enough? The study didn’t say. How it was published — and the reprinted as news — is anyone’s guess.

I drink anywhere from 12-16oz of Coke Zero every day. It’s the way I take my caffeine because I don’t like coffee or tea. I also drink the recommended 8 glasses of water, so it’s not like I subsist on Coke Zero alone. I know I probably shouldn’t drink that much, but come on… Where’s the joy in drinking only water? Same thing with food. I know I shouldn’t eat as much red meat or greasy, fried foods, but who wants to live on organic fruits and vegetables alone?

I’m not a glutton, but I like to enjoy certain foods and drinks. If that shaves a couple years off my life, then so be it….

Stressing out

T.F.P. — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 21:12:32 +0000

I’ve been under quite a bit of stress lately because I’m overwhelmed with work, school, and family obligations. As a result, I’m not getting enough sleep, and the adverse effects are showing up on my skin. I’m breaking out on my forehead again, which is quite a blow after being relatively clear for several months. I do not want to go back to obsessing over my skin and spending tons of money trying out different acne solutions. The last thing I need at this point is yet another thing to worry about.

I’m telling you, Thanksgiving cannot come fast enough at this point. I need the break. I think that four-day weekend will be sufficient to re-energize me and get me through to the end of the semester and to Christmas. That’s all I need. It’s just a couple of weeks away, but it feels like a lot longer. Let the countdown begin!

Can’t watch

T.F.P. — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 19:53:19 +0000

I turned the Bears-Seahawks game off with 10 minutes left in the 4th quarter. I just couldn’t stand to watch Chicago’s ineptitude any longer. Why does the coaching staff call plays as though the team has an O-line that can pass protect for longer than 3 seconds???? What happened to the quick screens and slants that helped beat the Dallas blitz back in Week 2? Not every pass has to go for 20+ yards!!! The O-line can’t hold up long enough. Man, what a frustrating afternoon. Thanks for ruining my weekend, Bears.

(AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)