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Monday, October 31, 2011

Week 7 Day 1-Peace

HAPPY HALLOWEEN
 I am going to be brief on the diet topic. I weighed in and reached my 50 lb lost mark. You can see the post  [here]




First, check out this Fan created video. I was thinking of using this song for another Blog4Peace video, but this video stands "as is" OUTSTANDING!   Keep Talking by Pink Floyd.

Peace means don't fight it out... Talk it out!

I think of myself as a born again human. I think it much better than saying "recovered drug user". I was fortunate to just walk away. I never wanted to go back. It started out with the festivities of a party, but ended with the gloom of a funeral. I just hope that society demonizes drugs and NOT the people who use/used them.

Addiction should never be treated as a crime. It has to be treated as a health problem. We do not send alcoholics to jail in this country. Over 500,000 people are in our jails who are nonviolent drug users.
-Ralph Nader
Demonize the drug not the people who do/did them. Compassion not conviction.
-MADeline Woe 1996
(MADeline Woe has been my artistic "nom de plume" since the mid 90 drug war)

Peace is overcoming Drugs and Violence. 

I made a video for the Blog4Peace about this:


On the ending selections, I also made the video called "Chanc Tidwell-A Digital Memory"  in memory of a friend who was a collateral victim to a race/gang fight. Some friends need to just shut up with it. Chanc was NOT driving the vehicle. He was not an Aryan Nation, but the 'friends"  he was with at the time were . All they had in common were weed and music. Unfortunately, he was riding with them . A ride that changed his life tragically!
Chanc.was such a shining young soul. Everbody liked him. He was a friend's son's best friend. Uncle to two mixed race kids he loved dearly. He never was hateful. When he would visit, the whole house would light up and become lively. He was that kind of kid. Great smile.

I really believe that the topic of Peace and that a near thousand blogs will be posting on Nov. 4th is a great social deed. Thanks to Mimi Lenox who created it, 7 years ago. One day. One voice. The tradition is to fashion a globe. There are templates on Mimi Writes (her blog) or you can create your own.


I want to add my mother's war child story below. I included it in my 2010 Blog4Peace post.

The Story of My War child Mom
My mother was rescued by Allied forces in 1945. She was the youngest of  four young debutantes from Manila. They abandoned their lifestyle when rumor came that the Japanese were going to take Manila. The eldest sister, my aunt Elisabeth (Ivy) (they called her Elli) had stayed in Manila because she believed the Americans would come and stop it.
She was killed by sniper fire and her body never found.

My grandmother Catalina Rosalewski told me a story she had heard about how the people would hear yelling saying, "Food Food" and Japanese soldiers waving on people from the back of a truck. When the crowd rallied up to the truck, weapons were exposed and people shot in mass. This was one story of many of what happened when the Americans were on their way to freeing Manila and the Philippines. The Japanese destroyed as much as they could and killed off as many as they could so that when the US came there would be NOTHING is what I was told.
Women and children.

Elli had married a man we only know as Ivy (his last name) from Georgia who worked with my grandfather on the docks after leaving the US Armed Service. My grandfather was an old German American stevedore at the Manila Harbor. They say he had arms like Popeye. My aunt had returned with her one year old baby before the war hit the Phillipines from an attempt to live in the States. She left Ivy because she could not handle the harsh opinions of race and cultural changes. The sisters all say it was because she had no maids. The were debutantes, after all.

My mom was only 12 yrs old and her niece Carol (Elli's baby) who was 2 yrs old spent from the last part of 1941 in the interior province of Pampanga hiding from the Japanese until 1945 when the Allies marched in.

Under the Japanese, all Americans in the Philippines had to be registered and interned into the concentration camps. My grandfather was taken to a POW camp in San Thomas when the Japanese took Manila in Jan. 1942.  His best friend Mr. Todd was pictured with the famous three emaciated POW's on the Life Magazine cover.  Since my mother and sisters (not Carol they had to hide her) were half American, they did not "look" American.

My grandfather Albert Johannes Rosalewski died of Beriberi a disease that is associated with starvation and eating only polished white rice for long periods. His family lost everything to WAR and they were also starving.  To this day, my mother does not eat sweet potatoes because apparently they had only that to eat many times.

When the Allies gained control of Manila on their way they found my mom's family.  My 'aunt' Carol was about 6 years old and was a toe head curly topped malnourished version of Shirley Temple.  My mother remembers the names of the soldiers that saved her. 
The 6th Ranger Battalion.

My mother's family came to the US on a medical ship and settled in the San Francisco Bay Area. 
My mother was 15 when she arrived.

I surely cannot imagine one day of war and my mother waited almost 3 yrs (and as a child). It was enough time for my grandfather's health to degrade into a starvation disease and die.

There are forces out there that hear no peace and will not stop unless they are put in check with the gun.  The gun moved in and forced the enemy from my mother's homeland and saved her.

Japan and Germany are now peaceful and productive nations. The treaties following were orchestrated by the leaders of peaceful nations.

I and my family hold no grudge for those nations.  My grandmother would just say, "I no liking Japanese", but they did not pass hate to us children. Most of the information I state here, was what I pried from my aging grandmother's memories when I was an adult.

My mother has had a few Japanese friends in life.

War is not always that forgiving in a family. War propagates generations of hate and sadness in continually war torn regions of the world.

To live with hate is death and one might as well been shot instead and be over with it.

Why and who would want to feed poison to your children? Hate, bigotry, and narrow no tolerance views.

We all share this planet. All I can think of it to say to the haters is "Shut the Fuck up and get along"!




Peace is saving war torn children 
and families from 
despair and starvation!



Why I am recalling my mother's war child story is because it is a great opportunity to share it with the blog world. It also represents how much the world can change generations after a massive war like WWII. I see it as that is all over and we have and are trying so to have a World at Peace. So please continue to be peaceful and strive to ensure this.




Thank you for taking the time to read my BLOG4PEACE post.

PEACE BE WITH YOU.
Susan (aka Bluezy)

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Week 6 Day 7



So when ET comes to Earth, why was it CANDY and not BROCCOLI? 

My daughter's BFF here in Vegas set up an X-pole in our dining room. And I guess it is the new do sumptin else kinda exercise. An X-pole is a stripper pole. Plain as that. Sort of embarrassing when the kids invited their new friends over and we had to tell the parents before they would go home and say "they got this big pole in their dining room and it spins and we climb it". Well, actually the kids get more action on it. My daughter was challenged by her friend to do some beginner moves to catch up to her, so that is why we have it here.


 Jake says the next day, "It is hard to do it today. My arms are sore". Well, yeah he must of climbed it 30 times like a monkey!

What Eh vah!!! This is not our video below. It is just an example of the end result of training.


That surely takes some strength. It is a 5 min video. LOL.

Friday, October 28, 2011

Woche 6 Tag 5

Ein shout out für Jenny (Chaquenha). Wer lebt ein aufregendes Leben in China!
Sie ist Deutsch, aber aufgewachsen in Paraguay.
Ehrung ihrer Geburt Sprache mit Übersetzer natürlich!
Siehe ihrem Blog [hier].

A shout out for Jenny (Chaquenha). Who lives an exciting life in China!
She is German, but raised in Paraguay.
Honoring her birth language using translator of course!
See her blog [here].
So I weighted myself yesterday morning and I was 242.8 say what? I lost two more pounds? Well I ate the unholy lunch meat and cheese as snacks yesterday. They are packed with salt. I knew I would regret it. I also slacked a bit on my water and can feel the morning bloat...so here is my scale for today. 

Now that is spooky. Water retention of 2 lbs?
Another spooky story:
I had a dream last night that I was having sex with Robert Downey Jr. It was a high school reunion. Later he was all talking to some young girl (who happened to be chubby) and I thought these men like want to get with women who could be their daughters. How spooky is that? Is this TMI? TMI could be me telling you about the one I had years ago of Halle Berry all excited in showing my her Vegas Flat on The Strip. It had a view. It was a high rise and I was thinking...is she a lesbian? One who likes older fat white women? Then I thought that this would actually be a relationship my mom WOULD approve of. LOL

Ok I am liking that there IS a Before and After now and sportin' my Ben Does Life Shirt!
and actually look at my hair cut. I'm looking all Halle Berry like the song..Halle Berry Halle Berry!

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Day 196 - Reached the Lost 50lbs mark!

Wearing my granny glasses Oh yes there is a change after 50 lbs
I started my blog in April this year at 294 lbs. I can't remember why I don't have a picture. I know that I did not want to reveal my weight and so I am thinking I did not want to reveal my picture. I was feeling pretty fat.

I found this nifty calculator on line that counts the days between two dates called "Day Counter" and it has been 196 days since I started my diet or wow how weird 28 Weeks. Just like the British Zombie Apocalypse movie. Doing the math, that is 1.78 (etc digits) a week of weight loss. Of course it didn't roll like that. I had that whole month off down time from my scooter accident..and an 8 lb gain. Some stalls...So if I took off a month from 196 it would of been a 3.32 lb a week loss. Either way, I am stoked to be here.

I am wearing my scary Misfits shirt for my 16 month old who says "Rawrrr"(baby talk for monster) every time I wear it. We went to that Halloween Trunk or Treat that ended up being real car trunks and not a luggage trunk. LOL There were so many kids. Ours got a bucket full. Each!

had to get the rock mountains and the palms...

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Week 6 Day 3

Is there really a choice? It's Halloween! Candy over Fruit wins!
Great news! I edited my tickers. I weighed myself this morning and lo and behold. A three pound loss from Monday. I am taking it and putting there so I must keep that ticker current. I am pretty sure now that when I weighed in Monday, I did have a loss and I was bloated maybe. But the difference was that I was drinking my water right.OH AND I REACHED THE BIG FIVE OH LOSS!!!!! I did not take my celly with me and I only now decided to take it now and document it so I can call it DONE!



So the grand babies are BOTH in school. Idaho would not let my 5 yr old in because her birthday was after the cut off. Here she CAN. So she is starting off a month behind, but she knows a lot that will help her. She recognizes the alphabet and most letters. Writes her name. She also watches PBS!!

Idaho is also different because my 1st grader is behind. They brought him home with two digit addition and longer words and more reading. OMG we really feel for him. Gotta really watch him and make sure he catches up.

They have a Trunk or Treat at the school. I imagine it out of car trunks in the parking lot, but that is just because I think lots of candy...but most likely it is a luggage type trunk. I leaving in just a bit. Might post some pics tomorrow. Yeah I think so.


Hurray 50 POUNDS LOST!

Monday, October 24, 2011

Week 6 Day 1


Eat more pears! Run fast!
Back on the profane the candy advertisements....They seem to be all in French, so I change them and keep them true to the language and check with translator. Translator sometimes just does literal translations and not how it is spoken, I think....so it may be wrong. 

 Actually a .8 loss for this hectic two week period. I am grateful for no gain. Don't have to alter my tickers.






I  have ideas of what and why...but no excuses. I had an idea that because I was not hydrating like before...things would be slow. I am now settled in to the new city and home, so I can now get more serious. I need to see that 50 lbs. lost so far by next weigh in.



Iconic Stratosphere Las Vegas-much better than this celly pic puts out
My daughter's bff here in Vegas is on a health kick. They are over 200 lbs and her goal is to be in Onederland by NewYears.. (I secretly wish that I could say that. With me it is 47 lbs in 2 months. I could be surprised). She was taking my daughter to walk a park, so I went with.

My daughter starts messing with  her phone and I hear it talk. I say "is that a talking pedometer app?" OMG you would think that being technically inclined that I would know about or have looked for one! Yep this app she put on is called "Noom Weight Loss" and it is free in the Android Market!

 Click [here] for review
It talks in a British sounding guy voice telling you of your progress and your speed. It pauses when you pause and resumes when you shake it a bit. I won't get anal and wonder if it is accurate...I surely like to take a walk with a British dude as company. The girls walk way faster than me...hmmm...I need to work on that. 1 stopped and talked to some people and ended up doing 1.5 miles.

I also checked a couple of fitness group options. There is 24 hour omg the have the Super ones here with lap pools! And there is also a YMCA 2.6 miles away. Hmmm...I could walk that. I like the class options at the Y. They have a variety and I always wanted to take Tai Chi...I will update you on what  I decide. Definitely Tai Chi 3 days a week and will find a weight training thing maybe or hip hop dancercize thingy...


Good journey and dieting!

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Week 5 Day 7


There is much to do in the back yard patio. We left the sofa and dining room set and gave them away. Could not fit them in the 16 ft rental.

I have not seen palms in a while. I also have seen a great many variety of bird life. We had a couple of doves perched on the wire in the back. I take it as symbolic of Peace and Love. 
I have 3 more grandbabies to love. My stepson just in the process of adopting his sister in laws kids. I have ambivalent feelings about social services and will leave it at that.

I have unpacked the scale. Been walking daily. Feeling better by the day with the muscles and I am walking more like and old pro than an old lady. It is hot here. In the high 80's. Still fighting the water track. I lost my system ability. Need to re-find it! Just the right bottle and remember to refill...duh.
ice cubes fit in the large mouth and it hangs from my wrist

November 4th is up and coming. I would love to see the diet blog community take a day off and join the Blogblast4Peace movement. You can register your blog on Mimi Writes blog. I believe this is the 7th year of the one day, one voice movement created by Mimi Lenox! You can create a globe (templates are available on Mimi's blog) all you need is Microsoft Paint, Photoshop, GIMP and I believe Publisher and Word allow you to paste and type...it is easy. Yet, you need not do that. Just post about Peace. Easy as that. You can link your blog by registering, or just mail your globe to the email address where they all eventually join a large gallery!
Go to Mimi's blog and poke around. It is a profound movement with a wonderful theme-Peace!


Good diet and good journey fellow bloggies!

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Week 5 Day 6

On the way here, I got to see this billboard in Salt Lake City!

The cows are actually statues that are off the board and do this. I never heard of the restaurant chain, but they have a great ad campaign with these vandal cows. LOL Love it...

There is of course profaners with photoshop....I did not do this one...sort of mean!


I did the one below, though to celebrate the season!

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Week 5 Day 4

So my witchy mood has such subsided. I was feeling insignificant and expectantly fat. I found a good mental grounding for my diet journey.

~No matter how life is, the journey is MINE. What I accomplish is MINE. If I have anything,all of this cannot be taken away by anybody but myself. If I keep to the goal, I possess a personal achievement and I can flaunt it proudly.

So I got away and took an exploratory walk. There is a shopping center with Smith's and various stores. I should check with the car, but I estimate it to be over a half mile. I love how Kroeger brand has healthy alternatives and a good selection of vitamins. There are like 15 gaming machines and I played two bucks for a good half hour. I checked out the budget computer store and realized they were not too knowledgeable on ho much it would take to fix a minor ram upgrade for my other computer. I had taken the ram stick out and a gold tab from it got stuck so I think I am due for a new one in the future.

The grandbabies discovered my adventure and bugged me to take them on a walk. So we went to the school playground. Right off a big tall skinny kid started walking up to us.. He was very dark. I was holding my celly thinking this is the city TuPac got shot...then he has this big smile and waves this I am a big kid wave and says hi with an accent.his little brother was with him and they spoke a foreign language. I of course (humbled from my first prejudgment ) waved back then later snoopy as I am asked them what country they were from - Haiti. Oh I said,„je parle une peu de Francais". (petite peu/touriste) OMG they were so happy. Later their older brother came and sought me out greeting me in French. He said no one he has met in his 4 mons here speaks French.
"Je suis une romantique"!

btw hooked up on The Internet. No more Android except when on the go.

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Week 5 Day 2



Still editing via Android.


Update Las Vegas-



Still unpacking. Need to start tracking food and water again. I am not offering anymore help with money around here. I am not their bank. They think because I blog that I'll pay their cable hook up and monthly bill,but I have invested enough and this time I am not offering until things balance out. Consequently,today my emotions are not on the diet. I am in Vegas without even a chance to plug a roll of nickels. Yet the weather is summer like and I am going to checking out what's in walking distance.

A thing I have contemplated is that success in dieting is an accomplishment that surpasses all the haters and disbelievers. When you might be treated insignificant and old, just look in that mirror or continue that journey Cuz the insensitive fat fucks can all wish they could do it. Despite all their temptations flaunted and attempts to screw with your mojo.



I made a decision to not lounge around in vaggy grandma mode broke and braless at home. I am waking up early, showering, and putting on makeup after doing a session of those Pilates videos I saved on my computer from YouTube. Attitude needs to be positive and directed towards my goal to lose weight.

I met up with my 41 yr old stepson. I raised him from 8 when I married his dad at 21. I hate to be negative, but I have a hard time liking his wife. I don't want to elaborate,but she rubs me wrong. W

Monday, October 17, 2011

Week 5 Day 1

Keeping it short and sweet for the update. I preloaded the pics from my computer knowing I would not have internet right off. Editing via Android.

Start weight: 258
Current weight:unknown
So this android thing is a bit touchy. Still have not cracked open the moving truck. I am just check in for my update.
?
On th?e road did good mostly. Ate Fred Meyer deli hot scrambled eggs and a sausage patty when they all had donuts. I had Dairy Queen, I had grilled chikem garden salad. I messed up and ate some cashews

Total challenge loss:

Friday, October 14, 2011

Week 4 Day 5

I love vintage advertising...I guess this stretch in manipulation could be called "Profane the Vintage Ads"? This time around I am highlighting choices.

I researched why so many are in French...and hit on one site that explained it-
"The Belle Époque 1880–1914-
In industrialized nations the Industrial Revolution created a new middle class, one with a surplus of leisure time and expendable income. In France this economic growth coincided with a period of peace and frivolity known as the Belle Époque (Beautiful Era). An important visual element of the Belle Epoque, especially in Paris, was the lithographic poster. Although first used to market goods and theatrical entertainment, the poster transformed into a collectable and affordable work of art for middle class homes.." [link for more and examples]
 Yes, affordable, I would imagine...Like peeling them off the walls and taking them home. Artists would put their names on the ad and be known for their works. There is so much art in these ads.

**(note I do not do this to disrespect, it is just an effect I chose to title each of my posts for my diet blog).


Waiting it out with boxes all around. Get paid on Saturday. Load on Saturday and leave on Sunday
Oh I just realized I need to get a handle on my pee habits for the trip. I am going to have to prep and NOT drink so much water. There is no way we are gonna make so many stops.
About 3 times more around house

 I ate three pickled jalapenos (the kind with "escabeche) with my morning omelet. OMG . I love them thangs! I must confess. I take a bite, then I put my food in my mouth and chew it all together. Unfortunately, you pay for that later. I just discovered them as we were packing. I had to indulge.




 I downloaded two Pilates videos off of YouTube, so when we are moved in with out Internet. I have them. It is about time to do some passive toning. My opinion on exercise was that  just dieting  I would remain the same, but just be losing weight. The smart girl in me knows that to get the shape you got to make the motions and work the spots. I am pretty lazy and play the old card a lot. One of these days, I won't be bluffing on the old card...so I need to seriously wake up and do it. I did a short session of Pilates on Wednesday...

From here on I will only be posting on Monday weigh day for the challenge for a spell. I will still be visiting fellow challengers and  my blog roll regularly via Android. Need that feeling of belonging and group understanding that comes along with it all!

My Followers are up to 64 and I am so appreciative of that! Thanks for being there!

To all my bloggie friends:  Good dieting and good journey!

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Week 4 Day 4

Chocolate delicious! to Garden Fresh delicious!

It seems that most of the vintage chocolate advertisements are French. 
I should wiki that and find out what the deal is on that.

Fitting all that we have into a 16 foot Budget truck is going to take some engineering. When I was in the Air Force Reserves, they called the person who did that a "Load Master". Rightfully so... We will be outta here Monday! Had to stay an extra day here to store Grandpa V's classic Lincoln. Having an unpacking party when we get there.

With all the packing, I am slacking (oh poetry) on the water. Wednesday, I forced myself to hold on to a bottle. It really makes the difference to drink lots of water, I feel.

I thought I would put my pic up to not be so anonymous. Yet if you go to my page tabs you can see some progress photos. I am due for another set. I am going to do a final Scary Scooterbutt one. Gotta go to our friends in Amazonia (where the women are big and tall). They inherited the scooter.

Time is catching up on me. The internet here will be going off soon. And don't know when we are gonna get the Internet on there. I still have my phone service and will be posting simply with my phone. So no excuses. I will post my weigh in on Monday. I know where the scale is. LOL

I am psyching myself up to not making Vegas a big "porkerama buffet drama". Texas Station Casino has "Feast Around The World" Buffet. OMG...that is gonna be so hard! Calling all forces!  Give me strength for that one, please! Just knowing it is a problem...I am going to refuse to go when the family all goes. There that is settled!

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Week 4 Day 3

So when I was packing and found some red corduroy jeans size 18...
Ooo La La too much Chocolat, perhaps?

Kept it color so you can see the pants are red. Had a blast taking it. The first photo taken we check out on my phone and my daughter looks at it laughing "Camel Toe"...I crack up and say "That is a big ass Camel" and almost pee'd my self laughing.

I have a long way to go! These are not my choice for the challenge. I doubt I could make that size by then. What do you think? Looks like 12 inches to button. Yeah how depressing. On the positive note. Me belly has a consistent color and is smooth like a baby and talented!

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Week 4 Day 2

"Les Fruits De La Terre" = Fruits from the Earth.
Since Halloween is a day of candy decadence, I decided to do a bunch of vintage candy label before and afters.

My update post on Monday started simple, then I got into typing a frakkin Miss America acceptance speech. Sorry, I was excited by the weight loss. Keep strong fellow bloggies!

Monday, October 10, 2011

Week 4 Day 1



Challenge Start Weight: 258 lbs 
Week Start Weight: 253 lbs
Current Week Weight: 247.8

Weekly Weight Loss: 6 lbs
Total challenge: 11lbs
 Broke through the 250 wall!
Next week to make my ticker say has lost 50 (or plus) pounds.
Before and afters on my blog I create for show and I can only alter the skinny into the fat. Fat to skinny photo altering I just never really tried. I think it would be hard and take too long not unlike real life.

Sunday, October 9, 2011

Week 3 Day 7

Zen

“Be master of mind rather than mastered by mind”
"When you eat, the meal is yourself”




Check out my sidebar and the image link to "Dona Nobis Pacem" Blog Blast for Peace.

I joined last year and plan to participate every year with my blogs!  It is one day where all participating bloggers just blog for Peace! Mimi Writes created this day and has sponsored it since 2006!!  You get to design globes from templates or design your own form of globe. I got really involved last year with the globe below, video, music and story. It was my first Blog Blast For Peace. You should consider posting on Nov. 4th for PEACE!

Click here to go to my 2010 Peace Post