Trick or Treat

Wow, I gave out tons of candy yesterday. I thought I had bought too much, but in fact, I bought too little!

Anyway, it was extremely fun. My favorite costumes of course was my nephew Xavier's Bob the Builder, niece Isabella's Cow and all the Tiggers. I show partial favoritism to Tigger, since I am Tigger--I'm bouncy, flouncy, fun, fun, fun, fun, fun, but most of all I'm the only ONE! Even my medical school friend Lilly associates Tigger with me. Ed does too--one Christmas he gave me a Winnie-the-Pooh calendar. So these Tigger dressed trick or treaters got hands full more of candy than the others--I know, well boo-hoo. There is always a second place in every contest! Get over it! You weren't doing the handing out at my household!

I like Halloween, almost as much as I like Thanksgiving. Well, I like the festivity of a Thanksgiving get together, but I don't like the eating part. I could pass on the eating. Not that I'm anorexic or anything (I'll take a bag of Funyuns anytime), but everyone always uses the holidays as an excuse to gorge themselves, stuff themselves silly and suffer heartburn. There is still a price to pay. I'm still paying for years of abuse at the dinning, lunch and snack table. I've been fighting a weight war for years. I win and then lose. I'm determined to win this time.

Anyway Halloween is great. All these people dressing up and walking around from house to house showing their costumes off. Yearly, this guy in my parents neighborhood has been walking around dressed as Michael Myers from Halloween. He creeps out the children (I'm hoping his jollies don't stem from that) and even some of the adults. He just walks around holding a plastic knife, not saying anything or looking at anyone. Almost zombie-like. It's really creepy. But to each their own, maybe that's the way he celebrates Halloween.

Happy Halloween Everyone! Eat an extra candy bar for me. God knows I want it, but I won't allow myself the simple pleasure. A moment of something yummy, leaves a bulging on the tummy!

Finally Something That Works!

I think I finally found a way to control my weight! About two weeks ago, I started jogging (sometimes 2, sometimes 1 mile a day--and then I walk between 3 and 4 miles afterwards). Like my friend Saint Adeogba once said, "Things are firming up where I didn't know they could". The weight is dropping off--things are fitting a little more loosely!!! And I've also started watching what I eat--not so much restraining myself, but curbing the things I put in my mouth. I've been eating more salads lately and also not snacking. Nothing fried and definitely no pork!!! Curbed the beef--sticking to more fish.

Also I've found a way to boost my studying and get more information a lot more quickly--utlize the First Aid for the USMLE! What a book? I mean I always thought it was wonderful, but using it cover to cover has proven priceless! I like the compact information and more importantly, the IMPORTANT information!

But the most important thing I've learned is that YOU CAN WALK YOURSELF SLIM!!! Now I can't go a day without doing this...and it's only been a little while since I've started jogging and about a month since I started the walking thing.

Goals

At our usual friday night dinner, Pete brought a guest--Molly (who by the way is welcome to come anytime she wants, although she lives in Tennessee. I say she make the several hour trek to meet us on Friday night at 7:15). She was quite eloquent and added to our conversation.

Molly is a vegan vegetarian (meaning she doesn't take in any meat products, but takes in the dairy products of the goats she and her husband raise on their farm). I found this to be interesting. Her reason behind choosing a vegetarian lifestyle is the ethical treatment of animals and also her belief that an animal shouldn't be killed for her needs.

I remember once trying to go vegetarian. This drove my friend Simi up a wall, cause I wouldn't eat any sort of meat. I don't remember the reason I wanted to go vegetarian--it was more fad, but the reason I vocalized was for health issues. I did not know how to properly eat, so I maintained myself on broccoli, salads and doritoes. Not very healthy. I also tried to cook several dishes from Molly Katzen's "The Enchanted Broccoli Forest" and "The Moosewood Cookbook". However, since I was in undergrad at the time, my allowance did not allow for most of the costly ingredients. So I maintained myself on stir-fried broccoli and doritoes.

Saritha has recently found a knack for eating mostly vegetables. She said that she doesn't really miss the meat. I've also found myself eating more salads lately, opting for more vegetables and less red meat. And I've realized that I feel better (although this could be psycho-somatic). But Molly certainly gave me ideas to start a semi-vegetarian lifestyle. And this time, being a medical school graduate, I can honestly say it will be for a healthier reason.

Email Address Lists

How did my email address end up on some company's mailing list? Yeah, yeah I know hackers and the like. But it seems my email address ended up on some erectile dysfunction, small penis enhancing vitamin and drug list. Today I got one email (thank God it ended up in my bulk mail) from a company that claimed it can aide those with premature ejaculation. I've gotten email from companies that say that can naturally enhance a penis, while other email ads have claimed to actually increase one's size naturally as well. Being a recent medical graduate (ok, 2 years ago), I've never read anything about this in the literature I've been given to study. I'm still baffled by John Bobbit's working pipes (still blown away by the surgery that corrected that mishap).

There are of course the emails from some guy claiming to have great "Girl on Girl" footage, as well as "Sexy Moms" and "Wife Swapping" pixs. The list is endless. I have never subscribed to anything that would make these people think that I'm interested in such perversion (maybe however they've tapped into my cable box and seen that I've occasionally flipped on the Skinemax channels--"Black Tie Erotica", "Best Sex Ever" and "Hotline" shows. But never really watching them as regularly as I watch "Joey", "C.S.I. Miami, Las Vegas, and New York", "Will and Grace", and "Scrubs". So why don't they send me something about those preferences? Still I wonder how they got my email address. It's okay, I've marked many of the letters as Spam (after I've carefully investigated whether they really are Spam or not). You have to wonder just what is meant by girl on girl action or what Jenny means by live-cam action. Just open and check for viruses first.

Okay, I forgot to say Happy Birthday to my nephew Marc Lee (a sophmore at Wake Forest). He celebrated his 19th birthday on October 17th. I sent him a card, but forgot to post his birthday on my blog! My cousin Ann Walsh, will celebrate her birthday on October 23rd and her daughter Angel will celebrate an 11th birthday on October 21st. Happy Birthday to you guys!

Another One Bites The Dust

What is it about weddings that makes many people feel completely alone (at least during the ceremony)? I went to a wedding this weekend as my cousin's date. We have this deal that if we can't find a real date, then we are obligated by default to be a sitting goose for one another.

Anyway, although many people were saying aloud, "Another One Bites The Dust", they were most probably thinking, "I wish it had been me". I know that cause I said it aloud, but thought to myself, "I'm alone". Well, I'm not alone, alone. Saritha and I have this deal where we will grow old together, live in a brownstone in New York City and feed our left over microwave popcorn to the pigeons in Central Park. But let's face it, yeah, I haven't had anyone to propose to in a long time.

And then these games that are played during the ceremony. For whose benefit? The tossing of the garter, the tossing of the bouquet? "Will all single, available, alone, miserable people come forward to try and catch some happiness?". My buddies and I opted to be at the bar and pretend that we didn't hear the announcement. I was really obligated to go, being a guest of a guest. So basically I'm twice removed. But we didn't want to be herded like cattle and paraded as single and alone.

I'm beginning to sound bitter. It really was a beautiful ceremony and reception. The bride looked amazing. And a very romantic groom, got down on one knee during the ceremony (during the exchange of vows) to place the ring on the finger of the bride. He also had a hankie ready and wiped the tears from the bride when she said "I do". So it really was awesome. Well, I thought it was awesome.

But in the end, do we really need to parade all the single people around by doing those tosses? I say we toss those traditions out. I'd really rather not see the groom shove his body up the bride's dress in search of the garter anyway.

Seriously?

Since I've all but given up most of television, in lieu of review books, when I do watch it, it's because someone recommended it to me (thanks but no thanks to the person who raved about the idiocy of "The Benefactor", a show which I'm still pissed I gave five minutes to) or it was something that I had watched in the past, I'm on the treadmill and it's one of the news channels, or it's late at night and I'm taking a breather before bedtime.

Last night convinced me that I should never watch Lifetime Television for Women. There was this show called "The Accident: A Moment of Truth". I don't know why I was drawn into it. But I started watching it and because the acting was so bad, I wanted to keep watching in order to analyze why they kept rolling film. The actors all used monotone voices (the same ones the actors on Cinemax skin flicks use--here I go again with my Skinemax obsession). The topic of the storyline was a pretty serious one too. But this was lost in translation. Completely hidden behind some sort of drama which even soap opera fanatics would find hard to believe or follow.

So, I'm opting to read a novel instead for my nightly wind down. I've started to read "A Separate Peace" again. Such a good book. I could read this story over and over again, not get bored. I think we need to go back to the basics of reading. After all, like Rif says "reading is fundamental".

Columbus on Columbus Day Weekend

I drove up to Columbus, Ohio for the weekend. My cousin Carmela was turning 30! She's got an awesome life, awesome friends, and an awesome town to have both in. Her party was thrown in her friend's backyard in German Village. Quaint little place. Anyway the weekend was great.

Another great part of the weekend was seeing my friend Simi. She's doing her fellowship in Kentucky, so she drove up to see me! Putting her sister's engagment party as a follow-up to our dinner at this place called Barcelona's--great atmosphere, great salad, I don't have much to say about the crabcakes.

On Saturday, I went to this bar called FrogBearWildBoar(or some sort of amphibian, mammal, mammal). An awesome coverband played there--The Websters--who by the way have their own website. You can get their album there--I highly recommed it. Oh, the website is www.websters.org. Click on it and take a listen to their album. I already ordered it. But they were amazing. I wasn't enjoying the night so far--having to wrestle with my First Aid for the USMLE study guide. Very annoyed. And then my cousin Monique took me to the college bar--sticky floor, lots of sweatshirts and more sticky floors. And then the band started playing. Was amazed.

On Sunday we took the day off, went to church. Then we celebrated my other cousin, Brandie's birthday at El Vaquero. A Mexican restaurant I always frequent when in Cincinnati. Get the Cuco's Special (#170) on the menu.

After stuffing my face, I checked out Easton. I'll bring some cash and a credit card the next time I go!

Okay, I'm not good at describing places to go, places to eat or places to check out. I guess that's why I'm not on the travel channel.

Happy Birthday to one of my college buddies Steve Hersh (who'll turn thirty something on the 12th) and my medical school buddy David Hurst (who'll turn 30 something on the 12th also). Have a good day guys!

What Does "No" Really Mean?

My 2 year old nephew loves the word "no". I'm not quite sure he really knows what it means, but he says it all the time. He'll ask for milk and when you offer him his bottle, he says "no". But then he takes the bottle from your hand. The only time he hasn't used the word is when he is offered cheetoes. When offerred those little delectable delites, he runs off to the part of the kitchen where he knows they are located, bouncing on his toes trying to reach the bag.

I guess it really is a stage that children go thru...the "no" stage. I just thought it was something made up so that the writers of family sit-coms and comics like Family Circle could have story-lines. But Xavier says "no" all the time. "Give me a kiss"---"no!". Do you want to take a nap---"no". Let's watch Bob the Builder---"no". To get his off his no spurt, I ask if he wants cheetoes, to which he does a three-sixty and then runs to cupboard.

I can't wait till this stage is finished!

A Different World

My cousins came to visit from Columbus, Ohio this weekend. We celebrated my nephew Xavier's 2nd birthday. His birthday is actually on October 6th, but my sister is going out of town and across the nation (to Palm Springs) for a tennis tournament--(nope, not against Jennifer Capriati or Venus Williams, but against other tennis leagues of housewives and working women). So the celebration was a little early.

Anyway, when my cousins came, it was like we lived in a different world. I suddenly became loud (yeah, I'm loud, but I got louder). And it seemed like all my troubles were far, far, far behind me. I also noticed that everyone is in better spirits. My aunt always has a way of making my mother laugh, not just chuckle, but belly-ache laugh. I think it's a gift my Auntie Toots has, she has a way of making everyone laugh. I think more and more, it's all about family and friends. Yes, here it comes, another country song mention--Brooks and Dunne have a song called "That's What It's All About" on their Greatest Hits II album. And their message is...that's what it's all about.

My friend Saritha got a kitten. I'm not sure if she named it yet. So you can post ideas here. I relay them to her. Although a very time consuming gift, animals are definitely a great gift idea. Must make sure the person likes animals first. My roommate Omar got a kitten before he left home--and he loves that cat. He wasn't sure about the rest of his family warming up to it (which they all did), but he brought it home anyway. So pets always work out in the end. My family had a dog for almost 10 years and then we had some cats too. And I never thought my mother was an animal person, but she ended up crying the hardest when our dog passed away.

Okay, a Happy Birthday to Xavier Bohn (my nephew) who'll be 2 on October 6th. Happy birthday to Dr. Saint Adeogba, who'll be on duty on October 8th (she didn't tell me how old she would be) and Happy Birthday to Carmela Delgra, who'll celebrate her 30th on Friday--a party complete with tent!!! I'm sure I'll have an entry before then and I'll shout out to you guys again!
And for anniversaries, Mr and Mrs. John Walsh (or should I say Mrs. and Mr. Annabelle Walsh--since she's my cousin). They celebrate an anniversary on October 7th.

Have a good day!