[Just Carving]

Celery?!?!?

Bring On The Cheeseburgers!!!!!

[chuckt]

Heh heh - yeah, I'm not actually being THAT extreme. Just trying to eat better things, avoid BAD things, and keep the portions reasonable.

I know you were just making the point from an appearance perspective - and it IS a valid point. But my dieting has little to do with self loathing due to my appearance and everything to do with love for my family and my health.

My maternal grandparents were obese and heavy smokers and died of cancer and diabetes/heart disease. I don't smoke and never have, but my cholesterol is pretty high I work a desk job plus sit for 4 hours on a train commuting everyday with little time to exercise so I am concerned about my heart health. I am carrying about 40 extra pounds around the middle that I really ought to get rid of since research is showing that this body type is at MUCH higher risk for heart disease. Plus I have sleep apnea. I've had friends who were very similar to me either have to have bypass surgeries or died from heart attacks in their forties & fifties . . . so I am starting to get very worried about it. I figure I'd better get it under control NOW and not keep putting it off. I REALLY REALLY REALLY want to be able to enjoy a LONG healthy retirement of carving and loving my wife, kids & grand kids. So I'm finally getting motivated to do what I should have been doing all along.

Best
ChuckT

PS: Sorry to hijack the thread onto health issues.

[Keoma]

Oh Shite! Please pardon the lame comment! I should have wrote in there as well that it was a t shirt I saw the other day. You mentioned celery and I remembered the t shirt.
I am also trying to eat better...I am on a cottage cheese thing...I hate cottage cheese. I am doing it for the same reasons- my husband and kids. I have some issues with my heart that have come up and dad says "oh yeah those are hereditary"...oy...thanx! So,Trying to loose a few pounds and hoping it will make my back heal faster as well.
BUT!
Just so this is not a total hijack-
I have found that dancing to some great tunes with my kids burns quite a few calories! (and we all sleep better )

[chuckt]

No pardon needed Keoma or anyone else - nothing offensive in your posts at all. I was just explaining where I was coming from. Me - I've never minded a few pounds extra on myself or my wife [NOT that she has much extra weight btw - she's in great shape]. At least until I started learning more about the health risks. I just found it funny that Mike picked up on it my food metaphores.

So for those of you who are in position to indulge - have one for me!! Me - I got a LONG road ahead. And actually - celery is pretty good - especially with Blue Cheese dressing! Doh!!!

Crunch crunch!
ChuckT

[Canopener]

OK Sportsfans,
I was going to pass on this one but it has gotten kind of interesting.
The first thing I wonder about is; does your local station just loop the same old songs that were kind of dry the first time around? The stations around here are pathetic in that regard.
On the other hand; I love good radio broadcast [these days meaning satalite] and I love music. I also am a big fan of talk radio like "The car guys" or political stuff, as long as they do not rant and rave at me. Enough said.
So I listen to CD's, and here is my top ten list.
Ray Wiley Hubberd, Loco Gringoes Lament, and all others
Eliza Gylkyson, everything
Kathy Mattea, Coal
Jorma Kaukenen [the old timey stuff]
James McMurtrey [wild man, with great songs]
Allison Krause [Don't you just love her]
Tom Waites [Didn't see that one comin]
Norman Blake and others[the true master of flatpickin]
David Grissman and Jerry Garcia
Willie Nelson, and just about everyone that can sing. [what a character, should have been first.]
I got tons more, but it is all good.
Jimbo

[chuckt]

Great list there Jimbo - though some I am unfamiliar with. Alison Krauss, Norman Blake, Grisman & Garcia and Jorma etc. All great!! Have heard of most of the others though I don't listen to them. I really ought to seek out some Tom Waites and give a listen. I always hear a lot about him. Not heard of James McMurtey or Ray Wiley Hubberd.

Re radio - only listen in the car - mostly Classic Rock, Alternative station, college radio, or NPR. But now with my ipod I never listen anywhere else. Haven't tried Satellite Radio.

ChuckT

[Juhani]

Generally have the local classical music station on. Also alot of choral music.

[Keoma]

re readio...I like it when my dad is on the radio-he does Sundays on a local radio station...and Fridays at 4 am...lol...I miss that one a lot! I made him a Cd the other day...he's playing this Friday...very neat...Maybe I will stay up...or get up? for that one! He plays all my favorite stuff! He throws a bit of Santana in there and some other stuff...but it's great to hear him there! Mty kids love it! He plays songs they love and dance around the house.
You guys know that Queen Song Radio Ga Ga? I cannot sing it without a lump in my throat. I am really in love with the radio...sigh...

[Canopener]

Chuck,
Well, I see you are a musician and guitar picker.
You won't hear those other guys on your Sunny FM music dial. These are guys with issues, both personal and social and apt to write about the seedy side of life. Nothing nasty like the gansta rappers or heavy metal; just stuff you might not want to explain to little kiddies with big ears. They are also triple threats, meaning they mainly write, sing and play their own work, story tellers doing their own thing.
Waits can get really out there, but had mainstream succes with Ol' 55, Looking For The Heart of Sat Night, Jersey Girl, Downtown Train. Google "You Tube, Tom Waits, I Don't Wanna Grow Up" Ignore the video and listen to the words. His CD "Used Songs" is a good way to ease into his madness.
McMurtry is the Grammy winning son of author Larry McMurtry [Lonesome Dove]; he has his Fathers gift for telling stories, albeit, sometimes dark and cynical, and backs it up with some strong work on a 12 string.
Brother Ray Wiley Hubbard is the original "Redneck Mother" a song made famous by Jerry Jeff. He hates the song but loves the money that indulged his demons for many years. He hit bottom, but lived to tell the tales of sin, redemption, love, heartache, hope and a big dose of humor. He has been known to get on stage, start telling his stories and forget to play. The fans love it! Outstanding song writer and plays some wicked slide on funky old guitars like National Steel and resonators. Can definately make you laugh or cry out loud.
Jim

[chuckt]

Thanks for the intros to these musicians Jim. I can appreciate a great story. Combine it with a great melody and singer and that's wonderful. Combine that with solid guitar work or great instrumental musicianship - now we're talking. But I do tend to focus much more on the music & musicianship than the actual lyrical content, so that may be why I've not come across these folks.

Thanks again.
ChuckT