The Internet Ramblings of the QiRanger

Gratitude

The new year has just begun. As we reflect on what transpired in 2008, we often focus on negative events.

January 26th marks the beginning of the Year of the Ox – one of prosperity.

Let’s reflect on our lives and count our blessings. Share what you are most thankful for in your life be leaving a comment or posting a video response.

What am I thankful for?

1) God. His love and compassion. His wisdom. The relationship He has with us and that He never turned away from.

2) Jo. That she is so full of love and has chosen to love me.

3) My mother. For her unwavering love and acceptance.

Bowling baby!

Since I’ve been back in the States, I’ve really enjoyed visiting with my friends and family and doing all the things I really enjoy. This may surprise some, but I really do enjoy bowling. There’s just something about sitting back with a beer or two and making a complete fool of yourself as you roll a 12 pound ball at some white pins.

A few years back I even partook in a league. While at the highpoint of my “career” I managed to have a 155 average and a high game of 218, I think the more memorable aspects of the weekly endeavors were the tequila frames. But I digress…

Last night I went out with Jo and her family. Her entire family. This is important because her parents came with us. Her father, back in the day, used to go bowling every Sunday, and from what I hear, was really into the game. However, a few years ago he suffered a stroke and has been wheelchair bound with a loss of most motor and speech functions.

I was excited because most US lanes have a handicap assist device that allows those with CP, MS, etc. the opportunity to bowl. They had never seen such a device before and were skeptical when I kept on saying that Dad would be able to bowl too. When he saw the device and we told him what it was for, the man nearly jumped up out of his chair.

Seriously.

He started sliding off his shoes and standing up. He was ready to bowl.

It took a few times for him to get the hang of aiming and pushing the ball down the ramp. But when he got it… he was on fire. Each time it was his turn to bowl, we’d wheel him up to the line and set the device. He’d then fine tune the aim. I’d set the ball on the ramp and he’d push it towards the pins.

He did very well, scoring an 84 and a 97 in the two games we bowled. He even got a few strikes and spares. When those happened, his eyes widened more and she started yelling with joy. It was AWESOME!!!!!

My friend Steph posted a video yesterday bringing up the subject of body modification. Not the minor modification that some of us partake in by getting a few extra piercings or tattoos, but extreme body modification. I like her style, since she does it in an entertaining way.

I decided to post a video response to this, since I’ve had a number of experiences with this. I didn’t recount them all in the video, since I was pressed for time, but I’ll do that here.

1) My ex-wife hated her nose. When she went in for sinus surgery, she elected to have her nose fixed. Now, I never thought there was anything wrong with it and didn’t understand why she wanted it altered. I also thought it was a crime the way insurance was duped into paying for it.

2) I’ve seen reports of people getting implants. I just don’t get it. If a woman has suffered through breast cancer and mad a mastectomy, reconstructive surgery is part of the healing process for most. But elective surgery for bigger breasts… I just don’t get. I know the media has a huge part to play in this, but come on – be an individual. On the same note, I’ve seen reports of men getting pectoral and calf implants to enhance their muscular definition.

3) In Korea, many people would get surgery to look more Korean/Asian. In the Philippines, people get surgery to look more Caucasian. It’s just odd!

4) I once worked with a Director of Education that was addicted to cosmetic surgery. Her boss and female peers called her Barbie, she had so much work done. I thought it was really sad that she had such little esteem and felt she needed to artificially change.

What are your thoughts on cosmetic surgery?

Can you feel the fire?

Wow! What a weekend!

I’m not a huge fan of football, but I still remember the day when the Cardinals came to Arizona back in 1988. Back then, they weren’t even sure what to call the team. No kidding. There were three names floating around: Phoenix Cardinals, Arizona Cardinals, and something else. They finally settled on Phoenix Cardinals (only to change it a few years later).

In those early days, if you went to a game, you really went to see the opposing team. In fact, when they played Dallas, all you saw in the stands was blue and silver.

With the wins of late, I know many here in Arizona are fair-weather-fans, but I’ll take what I can get. I mean, I’m no huge fan and freely admit the only reason I pay attention is because I have a friend on the team. I can’t wait to see them play in two weeks… but it does pose a slight problem.

I’ll be in Las Vegas that weekend.

So currently the plan is for Jo and I to bolt out of town at 9am to make it home before kickoff.

I can’t wait to see them play in the big game!

Go Cards!

Well F&@#!

I read in one of my news feeds that South Carolina is trying to outlaw profanity.

Now I’m a firm believer that in 99% of conversations and actions there is no need to use vulgar words. There’s usually a better clean word that can actually better describe and relay the experience. To make saying a word a felony is outrageous. Sometimes the appropriate word is fuck, shit, etc. To criminalize this is nothing short of ridiculous.

The Vid!

I took a fun little quiz today. Why not take it your self and drop your results in the comments below. I scored a 45!

1. When do you feel your best…

A) in the morning
B) during the afternoon and early evening
C) late at night

2. You usually walk…

A) fairly fast, with long steps
B) fairly fast, with little steps
C) less fast head up, looking the world in the face
D) less fast, head down
E) very slowly

3. When talking to people you…

A) stand with your arms folded
B) have your hands clasped
C) have one or both your hands on your hips
D) touch or push the person to whom you are talking
E) play with your ear, touch your chin, or smooth your hair

4. When relaxing, you sit with…

A) your knees bent with your legs neatly side by side
B) your legs crossed
C) your legs stretched out or straight
D) one leg curled under you

5. When something really amuses you, you react with….

A) big appreciated laugh
B) a laugh, but not a loud one
C) a quiet chuckle
D) a sheepish smile

6. When you go to a party or social gathering you…

A) make a loud entrance so everyone notices you
B) make a quiet entrance, looking around for someone you know
C) make the quietest entrance, trying to stay unnoticed

7. You’re working very hard, concentrating hard, and you’re interrupted…

A) welcome the break
B) feel extremely irritated
C) vary between these two extremes

8. Which of the following colors do you like most…

A) Red or orange
B) black
C) yellow or light blue
D) green
E) dark blue or purple
F) white
G) brown or gray

9. When you are in bed at night, in those last few moments before
going to sleep you are…

A) stretched out on your back
B) stretched out face down on your stomach
C) on your side, slightly curled
D) with your head on one arm
E) with your head under the covers

10. You often dream that you are…

A) falling
B) fighting or struggling
C) searching for something or somebody
D) flying or floating
E) you usually have dreamless sleep
F) your dreams are always pleasant

POINTS:

1. (a) 2  (b) 4  (c) 6
2. (a) 6  (b) 4  (c) 7  (d) 2  (e) 1
3. (a) 4  (b) 2  (c) 5  (d) 7  (e) 6
4. (a) 4  (b) 6  (c) 2  (d) 1
5. (a) 6  (b) 4  (c) 3  (d) 5  (e) 2
6. (a) 6  (b) 4  (c) 2
7. (a) 6  (b) 2  (c) 4
8. (a) 6  (b) 7  (c) 5  (d) 4  (e) 3  (f) 2  (g) 1
9. (a) 7  (b) 6  (c) 4  (d) 2  (e) 1
10.(a) 4  (b) 2  (c) 3  (d) 5  (e) 6  (f) 1

Now add up the total number of points.

OVER 60 POINT: Others see you as someone they should ‘handle with
care’. You’re seen as vain, self-centered, and who is extremely
dominant. Others may admire you, wishing they could be more like you,
but don’t always trust you, hesitating to become too deeply involved
with you.

51 TO 60 POINTS: Others see you as an exciting, highly volatile,
rather impulsive personality, a natural leader, who’s quick to make
decisions, though not always the right ones. They see you as bold and
adventuresome, someone who will try anything once, some one who takes
chances and enjoys an adventure. They enjoy being in your company
because of the excitement you radiate.

41 TO 50 POINTS: Others see you as fresh, lively, charming, amusing,
practical, and always interesting, someone who’s constantly in the
center of attention, but sufficiently well balanced not to let it go
to their head. They also see you as kind, considerate, and
understanding, someone who’ll always cheer them up and help them out.

31 TO 40 POINTS: Others see you as sensible, cautious, careful &
practical. They see you as clever, gifted, or talented, but modest.
Not a person who makes friends too quickly or easily, but someone
who’s extremely loyal to friends you do make and who expect the same
loyalty in return. Those who really get to know you, realize it takes
a lot to shake your trust in your friends, but equally that it takes
you a long time to get over if that trust is ever broken.

21 TO 30 POINTS: Your friends see you as painstaking and fussy. They
see yo u as very cautious, extremely careful, a slow and steady
plodder. It would really surprise them if you ever did something
impulsively or on the spur of the moment, expecting you to examine
everything carefully from every angle and then, usually decide against
it. They think this reaction is caused partly by your careful nature.

UNDER 21 POINTS: People think you are shy, nervous, and indecisive,
someone who needs looking after, who always wants someone else to make
the decisions and who doesn’t want to get involved with anyone or
anything! They see you as a worrier who always sees problems that
don’t exist. Some people think you’re boring. Only those who know you
well, know that you aren’t.

I often get asked what I miss most about Korea when interacting with my friends and family here in the US. Truth be told, the thing I miss most is mass transportation. I really got used to not only walking everywhere, but being able to hop on a bus or train to get where ever I needed to go. The US is definitely a car culture and I find it odd not having a car to get around. But I make do.

I’ve also been hitting the job market. There are a few jobs out there that I find interesting, but for the most part, nothing is really grabbing my interest, so I’m content with finding just something to fill the time until something better comes along.

The Coffee Press

The extra time also has allowed me to really play with some video equipment, but truth be told, it’s getting quite aggravating. You see, I’ve shot a great video on coffee (I know, what a stretch!), but it’s not rendering the way I want it to. This is the second thing that’s been broken on my edition of Final Cut Studio (the first was the ability to process mp3s). I really need to get a job, so I can upgrade to Final Cut Studio 2. The fresh install and upgrades to products will make a difference. I also need to get that external mic for an upcoming shoot.

But probably the most significant change in recent days has been my engagement to Jo. She is absolutely nothing short of amazing and I’m ecstatic that she accepted my proposal. There really aren’t words available to fully express how I feel about her… but the thesaurus seems to think the most appropriate word is ginormous.

Bodum Coffee Press

In my opinion, there is not a better way to start out the day than with a nice cup of coffee. Now there are several ways to go about getting this delightful beverage into a mug for drinking. They range from using *shudder* instant brands of freeze-dried coffee to high-end espresso machines that are so complex it looks as if they might even do your laundry. However, the two most popular ways of making coffee are drip-brewing and the coffee press.

It certainly easy to make coffee in a drip-brew machine, but you loose out on some of what I think makes coffee a great beverage. The process of actually making coffee. So for me, using a coffee press is the ideal way to make that wonderful beverage each morning.

Over the years, the coffee press has had a number of names. They’ve been called Coffee Plungers, cafetière à piston, melior, and cafetière. No matter the name, the device is the same. A metal or glass cylinder with a plunging device equipped with a metal mesh. Coffee grounds are placed at the bottom of the container and off-boil water is added. Four minutes later, the coffee is ready. Simply press the plunger to the bottom to secure the coffee grounds out of the way.

It may seem like a lot of work, but it’s well worth it. You see when using a drip-brew system, a filter is required. The paper or mesh system traps the coffee beans’ essential oils and distorts its true taste. Brewing coffee in water releases these oils for a fuller flavor.

The other benefit of using a coffee press is that it can be used to make tea. Now I personally recommend having separate presses for coffee and tea, as some residual flavor from the coffee may spill over, but it isn’t necessary. After steeping your tea bags, or preferably loose leaf tea, you press the plunger down to stop the brewing process.

Looking to the Future

Those that are regular readers of my blog have seen the shenanigans that took place at my former “school.” After taking a week off from the Internet and joyfully reconnecting with friends and family back in the United States, I hopped on Skype as part of my morning ritual to see what was going on around the world.

It wasn’t long before a friend from Korea sent a salutation. We chatted for a few minutes before she shared with me that one of the teachers pulled a runner during the winter vacation. For those not familiar with the term, a runner refers to someone who leaves unannounced and before their teaching contract ends in Korea. It usually accompanies after a prolonged period of unsatisfactory and unethical work.

I can’t say that I’m surprised that the teacher that ran did this. For the time she was in Korea, she had an equally, no… worse time with the employers than I did. They deliberately whittled away her authority in the classroom to the point when the students acted out, they encouraged them to do it more. They also routinely asked her to work through her dinner break, which was unpaid.

I’m glad she’s back home with her loved ones and friends. At this rate it won’t be too much longer before the school folds due to mismanagement.

Now that I’m back in the US, it’s time to really settle down and secure a permanent place to reside and employment. It should be a grand process.

Fit

It’s 2009, and if you’re like millions of Americans, or for that matter, one of many around the globe, you’ve resolved to lose a few extra pounds this year. In fact, according to the World Health Organization, over 400 million people are classified as obese. The problem with this term, is that it’s an arbitrary label for someone over a specific value that a doctor determines is an ideal weight.

Prior to leaving to Korea, I weighed in at 215 pounds. According to most documents, 205 was my maximum weight mark. The weight of 215 put me into the obese category. I will admit, I was a bit heavy, but obese was not a word that I would have used to describe me.

However, while in Korea, I went from 215 down to a low point weight of 185 – something I hadn’t weighed since high school. Looking at me now, the weight of 185 is way too low, and I’ve started a process of gaining a little extra to put me back up to the 195 margin. But how did I lose 30 pounds in six months? It was easy.

I didn’t try.

Losing weight and maintaining it isn’t about dieting, it’s about changing your lifestyle. Experts have all sorts of ideas how you can lose weight, but few give you something practical. So here’s the real deal. Here’s something that works and is easy to do. If you follow this plan, you’ll lose weight.

First, you have to want to lose weight. I mean, you have to really want to do this. It isn’t easy and it isn’t fast.

Second, you need to stop counting calories. It really serves no purpose. Most diet planners turn in to dictators when figuring out what you can and cannot eat in order to lose weight. In the long run, it really doesn’t matter. There are, however, a few things that do make a difference. You have to eat less. That means no snacking and no large portions. It also means no booze. It’s the last one that really gets you.

Alcohol packs on the pounds for two reasons. First, it disengages the “fullness” reflex, thus making you want to eat more, since your body no longer believes it is satiated. Secondly, it is nothing more than liquid calories that are going to be dialed into your gut.

The last ingredient to lose weight is exercise. Walk at a brisk pace for an hour or two around five days each week. This will put you at walking about 6 to 8 miles a day and burning enough calories and fat to make a difference. Aerobic exercise is great, but in the long run, only aids a little in the so called battle of the bulge.

In summation… life is grand and don’t go overboard with anything in particular. Experience life to its fullest, but limit its excesses.

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