It's an easy recipe and a healthy meal that you likely haven't had and don't want to try -- Earthworm Fried Rice. If you have any health ailments, financial problems, relationship issues or job stress then maybe it is time that you tried it. The purpose is not directly related to nutritional value for the body. More so for nutrients of your mind and the indirect nutritional benefits. 
Preparing Earthworm Fried Rice is a healthful process that will provide long lasting benefits and contribute to your well-being. 
1) Collecting the worms - Don't cheat and go to a bait shop. Collect the worms as you tend to your garden. Your gardening provides an opportunity for mild exercise, relaxation and fresh vegetables that keep your grocery bill down.
2) Cooking the Rice - Steam your rice and vegetables until tender and spice as desired. While doing so concentrate on your bodies use of these foods for building, maintaining and strengthening itself universally.
3) Add the worms - Worms digest dirt extracting nutrients in the process. If you don't want to eat a little dirt then laterally bisect the worms and clean the dirt from them before cooking. Add worms and fry until rice is slightly dried.
That is the easiest part of the process. The difficulty likely resides in your mind and overcoming years of conditioning that results in a desire to eat garbage rather than food.
I enjoy food to the point that I have struggled in the past to maintain a healthful weight. Any fruit or vegetable will do but fresh peaches, pineapple, mango, star-fruit, kiwi and strawberries are some of my favourite fruits. Butternut squash, Roma Tomatoes, asparagus, broccoli, zucchini and vast range of peppers top my veggie list. I also find great pleasure in the seafood exotics such as squid, eel and oysters. Then there are the various fungi, herbs and bugs. Crickets eaten live or sauteed in soy sauce and used as a salad topping provide an exquisite flavour and are nutrient dense.
Usually I lose most people at the unusual seafood delights and the few folks that can still contemplate following my diet abandon the idea when it comes to the bugs. Ironically, those people who are repulsed at such an idea will eat Twinkies, battered fish or McDonald's McNuggets without hesitation. Those three non-foods are equally or more abhorrent to me though. The ingredients list of McNuggents should disgust anyone. Yet rarely does it which is because most people have been conditioned to crave garbage rather than food.
So eating Earthworm Fried Rice is not about nutrients or flavour but getting you to the point of understanding the importance of and not tolerating or forcing yourself to eat food but to get you to desire food and abstain from eating garbage. Some foods are more nutrient dense than others while some provide significantly more calories than nutrients or fiber but any food is better than garbage.
If you aren't ready to jump in and eat Earthworm Fried Rice then just start with eliminating garbage from your diet -- anything with High Fructose Corn Syrup [HFCS], hydrogenated oils, artificial colours or artificial flavours. Eat step, regardless of length, towards modifying your diet to include only food is a positive step.
If you need assistance in establishing and adhering to a dietary plan that you will enjoy and follow then please visit my website and contact my scheduler to make an appointment to meet with me.
If you would like to follow my activities more closely then send a friend request to my Political FaceBook page.
Subscribe to this blawg.
More information about child custody rights and procedures may be found on the Indiana Custodial Rights Advocates website.
©2012 Stuart Showalter, LLC. Permission is granted to all non-commercial entities to reproduce this article in it's entirety with credit given.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Earthworm Fried Rice
Saturday, March 24, 2012
2012 Changes to Indiana Parenting Time Guidelines [IPTG] public comment closing - 26 March
If you have not yet read the amendments to the Guidelines please do so and make a comment about any provisions for which you agree or disagree. The DRC is interested in hearing comments. They are not just a body with its own agenda or preconceived ideas that are immutable. Your input is desired and considered. Please take this opportunity to make your opinion heard.
If you need assistance with a child custody matter please visit my website and contact my scheduler to make an appointment to meet with me.
If you would like to follow my activities more closely then send a friend request to my Political FaceBook page.
Subscribe to this blawg.
More information about child custody rights and procedures may be found on the Indiana Custodial Rights Advocates website.
©2012 Stuart Showalter, LLC. Permission is granted to all non-commercial entities to reproduce this article in it's entirety with credit given.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Women should be bigger than men
As it is my firm conviction that all problems in life emanate from mismanagement of one's health that is why I start my clients on a food consumption modification and health plan before anything else. As my client base expands, particularly with women seeking to tackle a weight issue, I have deduced that women should be bigger than men.
There is no magical weight for optimum health. I believe that the BMI calculation method is flawed and therefore l can't lend absolute credibility to that measure. There is, however, healthy set points for weight -- the natural weight when food is consumed in a proper manner and a reasonable level of activity is maintained. The weight that is natural for women and men differ in that, generally, women should be bigger than men. I am not saying that Amazonian women towering over their male counterparts is the desired norm. When adjusted for height though, women should be heavier than men. As with anything associated with health this is merely a guideline. Individual circumstances will justify differences.
Traditionally men have occupied the labour intensive jobs that required additional strength and bulk. Beginning with the industrial revolution an ongoing effort has been made to remodel our workplaces, and homes, into push-button labour fields. With a later concurrent shift in traditional gender roles women and men are now equally performing tasks requiring little more than pushing a button. The physical requirements demanded by the musculoskeletal system of both genders has degenerated during this transition. Yet caloric consumption has, after a period of decline through the 1960's now returned to or exceeded pre-industrial revolution times.
The body of a woman requires more fat for the maintenance of proper hormonal function and preparation for child carrying. This becomes apparent in women who engage in crash diets or the elite athletes who have little body fat. Both groups of women commonly experience Amenorrhea -- a condition in which her menstruation becomes erratic then ceases for at least three months. As opposed to a number that is a more clear indication that a woman's weight has become deficient. On the opposite end there is an easy determinant of excess. It is the hip to waist ratio.
As I look around I see an appalling sense of complacency about nutrition and well-being which has led to a burgeoning of the waistline of most American's. Pound for pound, carrying excess fat around the waist is a greater danger to health than the subcutaneous deposits spread throughout the body. The waistline deposits of visceral fat -- stores behind muscles and between organs -- are more likely to contribute to the development of heart disease, hypertension, diabetes and possibly breast cancer.
In my belief the waist-to-hip ratio for women should be slightly above .70:1; for men, about .85:1. That is, a woman with 36" hips should have no larger than a 25-26" waist while a man with 32" hips should have no larger than a 27.5" waist. These are guidelines but in general define what a healthy individual will have.
As for the BMI I believe it should only be used for people who fall within the range of the most common body types. Near the average height, near the average structure and not a body builder adorned with oversized muscles.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers four BMI categories: underweight, normal, overweight and obese. The goal is to fall within the normal category. Underweight is considered having a BMI below 18.5. A normal BMI falls between 18.5 and 24.9 on the BMI scale. The overweight category starts at 25 and goes up to 29.9 on the BMI scale. People who have a higher BMI -- 30 or over -- are considered to fall within the obese category.
It is my proposition however that there should be a distinction between male and female with males being slightly leaner and females having more body fat.
In order to estimate BMI, convert your weight from pounds to kilograms, and height from inches to meters squared. Convert weight from pounds into kilograms by dividing it by 2.2. Convert height from inches to meters by multiplying it by .0254. To get BMI, divide weight in kilograms by height in meters squared.
For myself I get the following calculation:
127 pounds equals 57.7 kilograms; my 5' 10" height equals 1.78 meters which when squared is 3.16 meters. 57.7 divided by 3.16 equals 18.25. This measure indicates that I am underweight. Observing the layer of fat that is still wrapped around my midsection and my somewhat muscular build from all of the running, cycling and heavy yard work that I do demonstrates the flaw in the BMI calculation even for someone nearly spot-on average as my height and build.
It is not my intention to convey that women should be getting any larger. There are already far too many oversized women out there. The CDC reports that in 2005-2008, overall, 29.0% of women who live in households with income at or above 350% of the poverty level are obese and 42.0% of those with income below 130% of the poverty level are obese. Obesity is correlated to income and similar results are demonstrated among formalized education. Among women, the prevalence of obesity was 23.4% in college graduates and 42.1% in those with less than a high school diploma.
There is clearly a contrary indicator here that supports my contention which I wrote about in Fighting Hunger -- A Sensible Cure. There I argue that the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program [SNAP] needs to be overhauled at a minimum. In reality, as supported by the CDC data, the program should be eliminated. Overweight people are not going without food -- they have food to an excess. That aside, women are too large in our society.
It seems that there has been a significant overshot in the opposite direction from the expectations of 50 years ago that women were to be stick-figure adornments to pleasure the eyes of the men. Now women have no shame about publicly displaying their grotesquely deformed bodies. There should be a rational compromise. My waist-to-hip ratio recommendations are about the same for women but more stringent for men than what is typically espoused by the medical community.
As in other fields that have been male dominated, such as psychiatry which I will be writing about soon, there appears to be a double standard that is wrong. Though not completely absolving men of their responsibility to maintain a reasonable size and adequate fitness the pressure from the medical and advertising/marketing community puts a greater emphasis on feminine responsibility to conform to body image expectations.
Men are not doing much better. The CDC reports that they have a prevalence of obesity when income is at or above 350% of the poverty level of 32.9%. For those with income below 130% of the poverty level the rate is 29.2%. Among men with a college degree, the prevalence of obesity was 27.4%. Among those with less than a high school diploma, the prevalence was 32.1%. Although there was some correlation between income and formalized education relative to rates of obesity in men it was not nearly as disparate as it was in women and more interesting was the indication of an inverse relationship when income is considered. That is as income increased for men so did their gut while for women as income declined their gut increased.
There should be no difference in societal expectations for the fitness and figure of a woman than there should be for a man. In my years of coaching I have heard it from both sides and there is clearly more emphasis placed upon women and their physical appearance than there is for men. This leads to marital discord and also significant and damaging psychological issues for women. While I in no way intend to offer a free pass to women I do believe it is paramount that society owe up to the shared obligation that men have to also maintain a proper and acceptable level of fitness and physical appearance.
Women need not concern themselves with trying to maintain an image consistent with the beach bunnies of Pajama Party but should instead strive for what I believe is a reasonable hip-to-waist ratio and overall well-being. This should start with eating only food and increasing exercise. The goal should be more intrinsic -- feeling physically fit and emotionally secure.
If you need assistance with a weight or fitness issue, or any lifestyle change, then please visit my website and contact my scheduler to make an appointment to meet with me.
If you would like to follow my activities more closely then send a friend request to my Political FaceBook page.
Subscribe to this blawg.
More information about child custody rights and procedures may be found on the Indiana Custodial Rights Advocates website.
©2012 Stuart Showalter, LLC. Permission is granted to all non-commercial entities to reproduce this article in it's entirety with credit given.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Fighting Hunger -- A Sensible Cure
I have been recently working on a posting about obesity and child custody. Concurrently I have received a plea through email to help fight hunger. I have observed that there are common links between hunger and obesity and felt that posting my knowledge about hunger will reduce or eliminate hunger much more than the efforts such as the one sent to me this week. Having lived in various parts of the United States all my life I have never witnessed hunger that is not easily remedied. As I continue the chronological journey to my eventual demise I become more jaded about such pleas because they never seem to attempt to cure hunger. A simple panoramic view of any crowd in the United States clearly indicates that a hunger pandemic or chronic hunger does not exist here.
Quiet to the contrary Americans eat to excess. Caloric production for Americans is now estimated at 3900 kcals per person per day. That is more than 100 years ago when most employment and domestic chores were labour intensive and required a boost in energy consumption which has now been replaced by machines. Even with such caloric consumption hunger can still exist.
We've all seen news reports about people who are starving in countries plagued by war or drought. Unfortunately, many people go hungry because they simply don't take the proactive steps necessary to avoid hunger.
Hunger is the way the body signals that it needs to eat. This need is the result of a dual usage of food. First, to provide energy which is achieved through the consumption of calories. Second, and more important to fighting hunger, is nutrients. Nutrients are the portion of food that is used to maintain body functioning such as hormone production, thinking and cell development. Without a sufficient supply of nutrients the body may still be hungry despite being satiated with bulk and calories. It is therefore critical that people eat nutrient dense foods not processed garbage made to appear as food -- edibles that contain HFCS, hydrogenated oils, artificial colours or artificial flavours -- but which, to the body, are not actually food. If you don't eat foods that provide the right nutrients, vitamins, and minerals then you will be hungry.
A common nutrient deficiency is iron. Good sources of Iron include beans, shell fish and green vegetables. But food processors and poor choices by consumers remove much of the iron from the diet. Thus, hunger will still exist. The manipulation of food requires a keen sense of biofeedback -- that is a consciousness of the bodies needs. I can sense when I need honey to boost my blood sugar, a banana for quick energy or various vegetables with nutrients that promote hormone production and affect mental acuity. Thus, even as I have reduced my body weight by over 10% to date this calendar year I have not felt hunger. I always take the proactive steps of eating what I anticipate that my body will require. That is a trait that humans possess but rarely use.
Alcohol can interfere with nutrient absorption which will keep the dietary needs of the body from being satisfied resulting in hunger. While the intentional deprivation of proper nutrients leads to hunger there are also medical conditions that can contribute to hunger.
Prader-Willi Syndrome is a genetic disorder that causes constant, ravenous hunger that can be a contributor to life-threatening obesity in children, says the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Ironically they need fewer calories due to reduced muscle mass which is an effect of the disease. People with this condition will likely be hungry even after the body is satiated. For them biofeedback recognition is even more important to avoid unnecessary weight gain. A strict exercise or strength building programme would also be beneficial.
Constant hunger is a common symptom of type 1 diabetes. Fortunately for people with this condition there are common medical treatments as well as lifestyle changes that can remedy this.
Von Gierke disease is an inherited disease that causes low blood sugar which can produce feelings of hunger. Treatment focuses on avoiding low blood sugar by eating frequently during the day, and being fed by a tube at night. A nutrient dense diet with measured intake can reduce or eliminate hunger for people with this condition.
Hyperthyroidism is a disorder that causes overproduction of thyroxine, which speeds up the metabolic rate and causes weight loss. The higher than typical metabolic rate of people with this condition can leave them feeling hungry even after consuming the same amount of food as others around them.
Not all hunger is a direct result of lack of calories or nutrients. Hunger can also be a psychological condition. In my many years of coaching people through divorce and separation I have seen people who experienced weight gain during the marital breakdown or while going through the dissolution process. I have had to craft not only dietary programmes for these people but more importantly developing plans to emotionally enrich their lives. Hunger can be the result of psychological deficiencies such as a breakdown in meaningful and connected interpersonal relationships, the feelings of abandonment or the pervasive worry about an unknown future. You have likely noticed weight gain among friends or relatives when they go through this process.
Therefore, it is essential that emotional needs are met in the daily lives of people. It takes some effort. It may be necessary to discard long-time acquaintances that while possibly well-intentioned are only contributing to the emotional drain. This is another effective means of combating hunger which few people ever consider. Yet, more often than not government and other profiteers seek to toss more money at the situation.
Indiana's SNAP program should receive a major overhaul as it doesn't provide nutrients like WIC does. Many recipients are part of the affluent class living opulent lifestyles including fashionable pleasures such as tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption, gambling and hired food handlers preparing and serving meals to them. Wealth is not measured in income but the way money is spent.
There is also the federally funded school lunch program ostensibly for the purpose of alleviating hunger. In reality it is nothing more than a give away program that shifts parental responsibility away from parents and places the burden on society instead. Again, the recipients most often use the savings from having to provide food to ingratiating themselves with luxuries. The proof is in the numbers.
In 2010, according to Feeding America, 20.6 million low-income children received free or reduced-price meals through the National School Lunch Program, but just 2.3 million participated in summer feeding. Yet, these children return after summer and, although not receiving the give-away or reduced priced meals, are still alive.
Often times these programs do little to alleviate hunger. Providers and participants often choose potato chips, white bread or pizzas which often cost four to ten times as much as fresh fruits and vegetables to achieve satiation.
Research studies indicate that consuming a low-energy dense diet -- one that is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, and low-fat dairy products -- helps people lower their calorie intake. At the same time, eating low-energy-dense foods helps people control their hunger and maintain feelings of satiety, or the feeling of fullness and satisfaction experienced at the end of a meal. Satiety and hunger control are important for long-term satisfaction and compliance with an eating plan.
Fat (9 kcal/g) is the most energy dense component of food, providing more than twice as many calories per gram as carbohydrates or protein (4 kcal/g). Yet fat is nearly void of nutrients. Fat does not alleviate hunger but clearly can be a contributor to obesity.
Numerous studies have shown that people eat a rather consistent amount of food, by weight, on a daily basis. In some studies participants reported feeling just as satisfied on the days that meals were preceded by a low-energy dense soup or salad as those days without. Thus, calorie intake was reduce but feelings of hunger did not develop.
The importance of maintaining a healthy weight cannot be overemphasized. Excessive size and obesity can also be a contributor to hunger. Oversized people require significantly more calories for their bodies to function -- it is simple physics. Interestingly though many of the people who receive food assistance under the guise of fighting hunger are, in fact, creating the problem themselves by creating a higher caloric demand for themselves.
Effective means of fighting hunger are readily available without the assistance of government, hand-outs or coddling to people's irresponsibility. Hunger is rarely the result of a lack of food. The true cure for hunger can be found in personal responsibility -- establishing proper financial priorities, making proper food choices, fulfilling emotional needs with meaningful relationships and activities, and by taking the time to learn about and understand one's biological needs.
If you would like to do your part to actually fight hunger stop contributing to the problem and instead demand that the so-called hungry take on some personal responsibility first. Require that they prioritize by purchasing nutrient dense foods before wasting money on an extravagant lifestyle or paying others to prepare and serve the food for them. Demand that people get to a sensible weight instead of being an oversized glutton. Most important, never miss an opportunity to shame and scold those who neglect the nutritional needs of their children.
If you need assistance with a dietary matter or any lifestyle change then please visit my website and contact my scheduler to make an appointment to meet with me.
If you would like to follow my activities more closely then send a friend request to my Political FaceBook page.
Subscribe to this blawg.
More information about child custody rights and procedures may be found on the Indiana Custodial Rights Advocates website.
©2012 Stuart Showalter, LLC. Permission is granted to all non-commercial entities to reproduce this article in it's entirety with credit given.
Monday, March 5, 2012
2012 Indiana Senate Bill SB 18 Emancipation at age 19 is moving forward
Indiana Senate Bill 18, which would reduce the duty to support a child from 21 years of age to 19, has been sent back to the Senate with amendments from the House. Currently Indiana is one of only three jurisdictions that continues a support obligation through 21 years of age.
Today I received a phone from a legislator about providing language to ensure that certain children are not excluded from receiving educational support if the age is lowered to 19. The bill as currently written provides that a "child who is receiving child support under an order issued after June 30, 2012, may file a petition for educational needs until the child becomes nineteen (19) years of age."
There are exceptional circumstances where a child may still be in high school at age 19 and would need to seek an order after becoming 19 years of age once the intent or costs for post secondary education has been established.
We discussed the various ways in which educational support orders are currently achieved then settled upon a proposed revision. The Legislative Services Agency [LSA] will now draft the language and add it to the engrossed bill.
While the bill has had almost unanimous support in the Senate the support in the House has only been slightly more than two-thirds. Once amended in the Senate the bill should then proceed to conference committee.
If you need assistance with a child support or custody matter please visit my website and contact my scheduler to make an appointment to meet with me.
If you would like to follow my activities more closely then send a friend request to my Political FaceBook page.
Subscribe to this blawg.
More information about child custody rights and procedures may be found on the Indiana Custodial Rights Advocates website.
©2012 Stuart Showalter, LLC. Permission is granted to all non-commercial entities to reproduce this article in it's entirety with credit given.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Divorce and Custody Movie Review - Intolerable Cruelty
Today I review Intolerable Cruelty from my collection of divorce, child custody and child support related movies.
Intolerable Cruelty [2003] - The Coen Brothers give a tour de force in this over-the-top portrayal of the divorce industry and divorce profiteers. They bring this tumultuous affair to light in their unique comedic style that could not have been played better by any couple other than George Clooney and Catherine Zeta-Jones.
The film opens with Geoffrey Rush arriving home to find that his wife is having sexual relations with the pool cleaner. Oddly enough the home doesn't have a pool. Gunfire erupts and the collection of litigation based evidence begins. Cut to George Clooney, the divorce attorney, advising his assistant to prepare documentation alleging that an opposing party has violated a court order by taking a cruise around Lake Tahoe -- which is divided by the state line -- thus leaving the state with the child. So sets the stage for how the divorce scenarios will be played.
Clooney then meets with the cavorting wife and postulates his grand interpretation of the marital infidelity which assesses blame on, naturally, the husband. Challenged by her he claims not to be omniscient but just establishing "a map of enemy territory so to speak".
The film then introduces a courtroom scene followed by a motel encounter involving different parties. Both of which involve surreptitiously gained evidence, the latter by Cedric the Entertainer who plays an unabashed private investigator with a flair for exposing fornicators with a spotlight adorned video camera.
Break to Clooney meeting with the unfaithful husband of the main marital spat of the film. The opposing party, Catherine Zeta-Jones, is then poolside with her girl friends discussing various divorces and the financial benefits. She and Clooney -- smitten by her at an earlier settlement negotiation -- then meet for dinner where she elucidates her motive stating that "this divorce means money, money means independence". Predictably the film is going to unravel into the exploits of the case and Clooney's pursuit of Jones but does so in a way that keep the viewer glued to the screen.
Trial scenes are aptly played in a realistic manner with interjections of trademark Coen Brothers absurdities that capture the feeling of the proceeding. Ultimately Jones, revealed for the gold-digger she is, gets left high and dry. While the undesirable results are discussed with her hardened girl friends one admits to her longing for an intimate relationship but relays her reluctance in stating "getting laid is financial Russian Roulette". Jones retorts, "I am going to get married again and nail his ass good".
On the scene finally appears Billy Bob Thornton, the Texas oil tycoon, who appears with Jones at Clooney's office to execute a prenuptial marital agreement. The particular agreement, crafted by Clooney, which is known in the industry as being impenetrable. Thus Thornton's money would be untouchable by Jones in the event of a divorce.
Thornton eats the prenuptial agreements at the wedding. She and Clooney discuss the predictable scenario to follow. This time Jones makes off with a fortune but it later is revealed that she appears to have been hoodwinked. She and Clooney marry and again the prenuptial agreement is destroyed. Jones' fortune is now open for the taking by the crafty attorney Clooney.
But not is all as it appears. Clooney, the keynote speaker at a divorce industry seminar in Las Vegas, reveals that he is a changed man. His cut-throat pursuit of courtroom victory seems to have been tempered by Jones. Somehow a murder-for-hire scheme develops from their relationship and the film culminates in a surprise ending reminiscent of film noir.
This entertaining comedic romp is a must see for anyone who has or is going through a divorce. Every scene brings forth the elements of truth about the divorce industry and provides much needed levity for those parties who have directly suffered from it.
If there is a movie that you would like reviewed please send a request to me. The complete list of movies I have reviewed may be viewed here.
If you need assistance with parenting time, custody or support issues please visit my website and contact my scheduler to make an appointment to meet with me.
If you would like to follow my activities more closely then send a friend request to my Political FaceBook page.
Subscribe to this blawg.
More information about child custody rights and procedures may be found on the Indiana Custodial Rights Advocates website.
©2012 Stuart Showalter, LLC. Permission is granted to all non-commercial entities to reproduce this article in it's entirety with credit given.
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Gas prices, shallow relationships and community
It seems lately that wherever my exploits take me I keep hearing the same cacophony of indignation that is echoed in print on FaceBook status updates and news stories. People pushing shopping carts full of soda and water to their cars, cell phone users waiting in line at the McDonalds drive thru, the lottery ticket junkie trying to engage the smoker in line waiting to pay for gas at the truck stop, and that candy bar chompin' beast of a woman being interviewed while sliding her credit card through the gas pump. They are the collective voice expressing outrage over the supply and demand driven price of the commodity gasoline.
As I have walked the 27 miles to Indy this past week or my daily trips around Lebanon I hear the irony being laid on thick. I think of Adam Smith, Karl Marx, John Maynard Keynes and John Nash during these times. I envision an imaginary debate among these men as the befuddled populace stares in bewilderment while these economic philosophers try to bring sense to the muttering crowd. But it's to no avail.
The dismissive crowd just can't comprehend market forces or their own hypocrisy. Even if they could the complaints would still roll off their tongues and get posted as quick as their nimble fingers can tap away. So, I contemplate what draws people into the collective disassociation with logic and valid argument to complain about fuel prices and elucidate various, although incorrect, attributions.
My conclusion is based upon my vast, broad based interactions with people in various social and sociological forums. First and foremost, there is the overwhelming denial of personal responsibility that is common to most of humanity. Few humans want to find fault in themselves and face the psychological impact of accepting Truth and the related consequences. Second is the desperate need to belong, to feel accepted, to be part of the in-crowd and share in the water-cooler musings. This is a phenomena that I have seen expand concurrent with the advancement of social networking technology. A significant portion of people have lost personal contact.
It is that socializing anomaly which leaves the human spirit wanting. Those who are comfortable without maintaining intimate relationships with others are called sociopaths. Most of society, subject to self-imposed frantic lifestyles, has lost the intimacy that permeated a bygone era. Now the need is satiated by jumping on the latest vitreous discussions to feel a part of society, to be connected.
There are those who maintain the deeper personal connections and take time to stop and smell the roses while shunning the frenetic pace of the modern world. But it's lonely for the intellectually proficient resigned to seeking out those elusive and rare individuals upon which one can build real relationships instead of sharing in the hypocritical ignoramus rumblings of the general population. But such is life.
So next time you are about to render complaints about matters under your control with false attributions to another ask yourself why. The likely answer is that you are compensating for a lack of meaningful personal relationships and fear of personal responsibility.
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Make a suggestion for me to write about.
Parents who would like to achieve the best outcome for their children in a contested child custody case should visit my website and contact my scheduler to make an appointment to meet with me. Attorneys may request a free consultation to learn how I can maximize their advocacy for their clients.
Connect with me for the latest Indiana child custody related policy considerations, findings, court rulings and discussions. 
Friday, March 2, 2012
The Easiest Thing I've Ever Done - Month Two
This week I went to Ocean Buffet and savoured six plates of delicious and healthy food while the other members of my party watched in amazement then asked how I can eat so much. That night I slept soundly on a couch awaking to a commercial about SENSA since I didn't bring any movies with me. Fortunate though as it gave me more material to rail for being just another weight loss gimmick.
This non-pharmaceutical weight loss product claims to be as easy to use as just sprinkling on food. "SENSA is like my will power" claims one user. All of the testimonials and host comments never mention the text which is flashed across the screen advising that results reflect -- "SENSA used with a sensible diet and exercise".
The host goes on and on repeating the various claims as the testimonials are presented -- "eat all of the foods you love", "just sprinkle on all the foods you love and watch the weight come off, it's that simple" , "it's as simple as sprinkle, eat and lose weight". Never is there mention of the printed advisory about exercise or the sensible diet. There is mention about cutting back on portions and eating less.
I recall seeing this informercial back around Christmastime when I stayed over at my parents and let the tv run all night. I think the guide indicated the program as "lose 30 pounds with SENSA". I had already planned on initiating a further reduction in my weight from 143 to 128. Half of what SENSA would do for me. So, they claim.
Last month a posted an update on my progress in which I had reduced my weight to 133 pounds and anticipated being 127 by 01 March. Well, for the past month I have stuck to my plan that didn't involve taking the step to "just sprinkle [SENSA] on all the foods you love and watch the weight come off, it's that simple". 
For me it has been easier than that. I just eat whatever I want whenever I need. Today here I stand at 129 pounds with the veins starting to become visible across my abdomen again. The nice thing is the oil mixture that I apply has kept me from having that sagging skin that would usually accompany a drop from 196 to 129 pounds.
I have nearly reached that Springtime goal of 128. I didn't hit 127 as predicted a month ago but it is not my intention to achieve a particular weight at a particular time. I have just estimated my forward looking weight based upon my current diet and lifestyle.
After another 30 days of eating whatever I feel like eating, whenever I feel like I need the nutrients then I believe I will be at 122 pounds, the weight of my gal-pal. Incidentally, a weight I haven't been since grade 5. For those who feel that a man should be fatter than a woman I will have a post for you coming later this month.
Considering the likelihood of increased travel by bicycle during warmer days it may happen sooner. Though I don't expect to be back showing you my 113 pound body that SENSA -- if you believe such things -- claim they would help me achieve.
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Make a suggestion for me to write about.
Parents who would like to achieve the best outcome for their children in a contested child custody case should visit my website and contact my scheduler to make an appointment to meet with me. Attorneys may request a free consultation to learn how I can maximize their advocacy for their clients.
Connect with me for the latest Indiana child custody related policy considerations, findings, court rulings and discussions.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
You are broke because you WANT to be
I will never forget the response to my grumblings and righteous indignation about my incarceration that resulted after two police officers testified under oath and penalty of perjury to finding a particular firearm in three different locations in my town-home. It was clear that they were lying. It was clear that I was targeted because of my politics and protests against the gangland tactics of the Indianapolis Police Department. It was clear that I blamed other people for my predicament. It was clear that I wasn't going to win any sympathy from this fellow convict.
He was a philosopher type who sat along the walkway overlooking the common area from atop and observed the social interaction of the inmates and staff. He was a large man and for those whom entered his circle had a jovial personality. Those on the outside say him as just another body moving through the course of time until released from the restraints of the institution. He was someone who has had the greatest influence on my life though. So what is the great mystery, those sage words he laid upon my rant -- you are here because you wanted to be!
That statement set me back for a moment and I didn't think much more of it for awhile. As we passed our days in philosophical thought I came to realize that he was correct. Every choice that I had made along the journey that resulted in that ultimate destination could have been made differently. The results may have not been my specific intent when I was making the decision at every crossroads I came to but ultimately I am responsible for my decisions that guide me to my position in life.
So how does this apply to being broke. There is an underlying or subconscious force that directs us to our ultimate destination. This psychological phenomenon was taught to me during my stay at the US Olympic Training Center shortly before that little stint that I took in the Bayou compliments of the US Government. The credo generally goes You are what you believe you are.
This is what raised my ire so much when anyone would say something to my son like "Get down from there you are going to fall". From a brain functioning and psychological or sociological perspective his body is going to engage in a physiological response that attempts to comply with the statement of an authoritative figure -- fall from that perch. It's no wonder I became incensed at these peoples potential to cause harm to my child. My response to him was usually something in the spirit of ignore this dumbass and do as I have already taught you.
I recently wrote about abandoning my automobile and am very happy that I no longer use a car to transport myself. Was it my direct intention to blow out the rear main seal on the engine -- of course not. I was irritated by the exhaust fumes in the driver compartment, that the struts needed replaced annually, that I was paying $260 a year for insurance that I never used, that it had an annoying vibration, that it needed new wheels, new muffler and exhaust pipes, and a plethora of other small problems.
What I had done was change the oil but didn't have my catch pan to place under the oil pan. So instead I just set a bucket under the filter, took out the filter, fired the engine and then put in the new filter. That method gets out all but about one quart. In my haste I added the full amount of oil for the change. Thus, it was now overfilled by one quart which was enough to blow out the seal. Did I intentionally add to much oil, No. But it was my actions, possibly directed by my subconscious that did so. Ultimately I achieved my desire -- no more automotive related expenses nor having to do all the mechanical work that I had no enthusiasm for doing like I did on my muscle cars.
What it all comes down to is you are in the position for which you have placed yourself. That whatever your current state it is based upon your decisions. I am the one responsible for getting run over by a truck and ending my stint as a professional cyclist. I am the one responsible for my incarceration. I am the one responsible for my divorce. I am the one responsible for the loss of all my assets and businesses as a result of the divorce. I am the one responsible for all the successes I have achieved because I have allowed myself to have those successes by taking responsibility for myself. So stop whining in an attempt to gain sympathy, take responsibility for yourself and then allow yourself to become wealthy.
If you would like assistance in taking control of your life and allowing yourself to become wealthy then please visit my website and contact my scheduler to make an appointment to meet with me.
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More information about child custody rights and procedures may be found on the Indiana Custodial Rights Advocates website.
©2012 Stuart Showalter, LLC. Permission is granted to all non-commercial entities to reproduce this article in it's entirety with credit given.
