Falling In Love Again

This week's musical spotlight goes to Cleveland's own Michael Stanley.  His career is long and has sold out venues repeatedly throughout northeast Ohio.  I saw him this past December at the HOB venue that is featured in the video.  This was the most memorable moment of the night for me.  It all revolved around this song.

MICHAEL STANLEY BAND



Falling In Love Again
--words and music by Michael Stanley/Bob Pelander

I don't know why I came here tonight
I don't know how this all got started...
I'm so tired of not being right--
Being one of the broken-hearted

   I don't even know your name
   but, darling, just the same...

       Whoever you are, I'm falling in love again
             ...falling in love again
       Whoever you are, I'm falling in love again
             ...falling in love again...ooh, ooh

Killing time with a drink or two
Or maybe some conversation
I had nothing really better to do--
Now I'm looking for explanations

   I'm so tired of love's sweet lies
   but they're not in your eyes...


       Whoever you are, I'm falling in love again
             ...falling in love again
       Whoever you are, I'm falling in love again
             ...falling in love again...ooh, ooh

     You know, my heart's been hiding
     ...then you walked in and took it away, yeah
     Now there's something that
           I gotta say, Darling...

       Whoever you are, I'm falling in love again
             ...falling in love again
       Whoever you are, I'm falling in love again
             ...falling in love again...ooh, ooh

I don't know why I came here tonight
I don't know how this all got started...

       Whoever you are, I'm falling in love again
             ...falling in love again
       Whoever you are, I'm falling in love again
             ...falling in love again...ooh, ooh
      ...falling in love again...ooh, ooh
      ...falling in love again...ooh, ooh
      ...falling in love again...

Setting A Record For Snow Days

Mother Nature has made many a day lately for the students in Northeast Ohio.  Those elusive snow days that I longed for as a kid seem to be all the rage today.  Today marked the seventh snow day for my local school district.  This is four above the calamity days allowed by the State of Ohio. The new governor, John Kasich, is working on changing that number from three back to five.  While five may not be needed for all of Ohio due to the many different climate variations.  Northeast Ohio is subject to a unique weather phenomenon called Lake Effect Snow. 

Our friends at Wikipedia explain Lake Effect Snow as "snow that is produced during cooler atmospheric conditions when cold winds move across long expanses of warmer lake water, providing energy and picking up water vapor which freezes and is deposited on the leeward shores."  That's right folks.  Lake Erie works as a giant snowcone machine.

Speaking of snow, does the phrase "Don't eat the yellow snow" come to mind.  Good news! Avery Beverages in New Britain, Connecticut has released Yellow Snow Soda.  It's supposed to be a mixture of lemon and pineapple flavors.  You'll have to let me know how that tastes.  Here in Ohio it is referred to as pop.

Where Ya' Been?

I'm sorry about the brief hiatus  My daughters are in from Long Island.

Sick Day.

Mother Nature was in full force last night.  She started her wrath yesterday afternoon.  This doubled the time it took me to get home.  No worries.  I am all in one piece.  I was overwhelmed when I went out last night to shovel the drive.  There was close to seven inches.  It was proving to be quite the challenge with my shovel.  Wouldn't you know it?  One of my neighbors showed up with a plow on his four wheeler.  He cleaned it up in no time.  Many thanks to him.

This morning I awoke early to tend to the drive.  Early for me is 4:50 AM.   It had about 1 to 2 inches for me.  It was nice to see that my city had already hit my side street.  So, I have the freedom to travel today.  Most of the school districts in my area have a snow day or delay today.  I'm recovering from a nasty cold or sinus infection.  I even had to make the dreaded call to the doctor.  It's going on 2 1/2 weeks at this point.  I'm fortunate that my doctor has early appointments so that I might make it to work on time.  I got the 6:30 appoitnment tomorrow.  It'll probably be followed by a stop at the pharmacy for antibiotics.  I'm not a huge fan of taking pharmaceuticals.  (I'll explain my addiction to Execedrin Migraine later.)

So, little steps for the long haul.

As I make my way deeper into the Revive book, It's becoming increasingly clear that right out of the gates a lifestyle change is recommended.  While, I have made up my mind to change my life.  It's not as well received by my spouse or offspring.  Although, I'm sure it would improve their quality of life as well.  So, I'll have to fight this battle on my own for now.  I hope that I'll inspire them to improve their nutrition in some way through my example.

The program seems to be a little more complicated than I had hoped.  His first recommendation is to clean out the cupboard to get rid of all the chemical laden foods.  I am embarrased to say that I think thats all that might be in there.  I'll, reluctantly, leave those to the family to eat.  I made it to point in the book where we start the program.  It's called Week One - Nourish.  This week, the focus will be on removing sugars and processed foods and will be adding smoothies.  (If I can figure out where to purchase all these powders for the Smoothies.)

There is no doubt in my mind that this will be a hybrid program for me.  I will not be able to follow this to a tee.  Therefore, I will take the best principles from it and simplify them to my liking.  Today, I had 1 pack of original instant oatmeal for breakfast with 15 grams of Sugar.  For lunch, I hit up China King Restaraunt for 1/2 cup of steamed vegetables with 1/4 cup of steamed white rice.  Yeah, I know I didn't totally cut out the sugar.  But, my sugar intake today is no where near where it's been.  So, little steps for the long haul. 

I like to strip things down to their simplest form.  While mixing powders together to make the Breakfast Workday Smoothie sounds easy enough to do, I'm going to keep instant oatmeal in there as a backup.  For lunch, I plan on fresh raw vegetables from the grocer or steam vegetable from a local chinese restaraunt.  Just changing one meal a day to all vegetables will be an improvement.  I haven't hit dinner yet.  I have enough of the vegetables left to make another meal.  This will most likely be how it plays out.

Then, the real battle begins -- The after dinner but before bedtime snackfest.  This is where discipline comes in.  Did I mention that my wife posted a picture of me and my daughter in the pool on Facebook?  It was not real flattering.  Did I mention that I have an upcoming class reunion?  I don't want to look like a slob there.  Anyway, thats my motivation.

I'd be a fool now to worry.... About all those things I can't change.

My sunday post is all about music.  Music is a huge motivator for me.  I'll showcase a song that has moved me in some way, shape, or form.  This weeks song is No Hurry by the Zac Brown Band.  It encourages me to slow down and enjoy life.  I have been following the Zac Brown Band for a few years.  It has been great watching them grow into the musical powerhouse they are today.

NO HURRY - ZAC BROWN BAND

You know my old car needs washing

And the front yard needs a trim

And the telephone keeps ringing

And the bossman knows I know its him

And the bills ain't gonna pay themselves

No matter anyway

Cause I ain't in no hurry today

There's nothing wrong with an old cane fishing pole

And the smell of early spring

Sit down in a fold-up easy chair

On a quiet shady river bank

Let the world go on without me

Wouldn't have it any other way

Cause I ain't in no hurry today

Ain't in no hurry

I'd Be a fool now to worry

About all those things I can't change

And the time that I borrow

Can wait till tomorrow

Cause I ain't in no hurry today

When I must return

To the cold cold ground

Have 'em take their time

When they lay this sinner down

Heaven knows that I ain't perfect

I've raised a little cain

And I plan to raise a whole lot more

Before I hear those angels sing

(Gonna get right with the lord)

But there'll be hell to pay

But I ain't in no hurry

Ain't in no hurry

Be a fool now to worry

About all those things I can't change

And the time that I borrow

Can wait till tomorrow

Cause I ain't in no hurry

Ain't in no hurry

Ain't in no hurry today

I won't be in today, I'm just spent.

I have begun to research why I  might be so tired lately.  I am 99% sure it has more to do with my sedentary lifestyle than my overall health.  I began my research with a book called Clean by Dr. Alejandro Jungar MD.  But, half way through the book it recommends starting with the book Spent by Dr. Frank Lipman MD.  So, I took a break from the Clean book to review the Spent book.  If you are looking for it, the author has changed the name from Spent to Revive.  He hoped to focus more on the results than the symptom.  I'll review the book and program as I go along.

On occassion, I tease a coworker for the way he once called off work.  His reason for calling off, "I won't be in today... I'm just spent".  This was in no way as original as that of another coworker.  His reason was that his cat unplugged his alarm clock.  What crazy excuses have your coworkers used to call off?