Aug 23
ErinGarbage
Today I have a perfect example of small things that I take for granted: walking on uneven spaces. 🙁
Last Friday I suddenly felt an excruciating pain in my lower back. It was severe enough that I couldn’t walk for five minutes and was hobbling for the next two hours. The doctor in the company clinic prescribed some pain killers and suggested that an X-ray be done on my spinal column to rule out any severe causes such as slipped discs and another medical term that I can’t remember. Good thing that the company’s HMO will cover it.
Since this was already in the afternoon, I finished the pending paperwork requirements and then took a cab to the SM Megamall where the X-ray will be done. I was done with the procedure by 6:15PM but the technician said that the results will only be available the following day. I asked the reception if there is a possibility of getting somebody to read the results over the phone since I live quite far but they say they are not allowed to do that even if I give my written consent then and there.
As I am feeling better today with only a severely sore back, I opted to just go tomorrow since we also have engagements in the Quezon city area. Even if it is a medically related errand, I don’t think it is worth it to spend at least 3 hours for something that may just be normal back sprain.
The wife, with her typical optimistic attitude, is now preparing for either my funeral or the prospect of me being wheel-chair bound. Nice attitude, eh?
Back to the subject, I am still feeling a pain when doing small things that we do automatically. Bending to pickup a dropped object, going too fast from one level to another (even if there jsut an inch of difference), getting out of bed, and what have you. The good thing is that I can still drive but have to rely more on the side and rear-end mirrors since I cannot twist my body fast enough.
[update 2008.08.26] The orthopedic doctor said that there is a curvature in my spine but it is too slight to be considered as scoliosis. I am to undergo one week of (expensive) medication and three preventive PT sessions. Sounds good to me, I’ll take it. 🙂
ciao!
Aug 11
ErinGarbage
Chris Haravata posted this item in his blog which details a seemingly perfectly fine relationship between father and son that has endured trials but was shattered when the son “loves this woman, he is willing to get married in this woman’s church”.
Which one will you side on? Is it with the father who in his self-righteous narrow-mindedness thinks everything in this world fits perfectly in a black-or-white category. Or are you with the son who has the romanticist love that will forsake all just to please his bride?
I am with neither as both of them aren’t what I would call believers. The father is a lost cause fanatic that has anchored everything in what his religion espouses. He will probably spew out bible verses or quote some pastoral superstar when encroached in debates. Deep inside he is just as good as the “non-believers” that he condemns since he is a hypocritical and rabid hyena in sheep’s clothing.
The son is a spineless coward who thinks converting from one belief to another is like changing clothes (or jobs). Religion is all about beliefs: you either believe or you do not. If you are neither then welcome as you are an agnostic like me but grow some cojones and stand up for what you believe in. Love cannot make you a believe nor does love should force you to change. If it does either then that is called brainwashing. Ever heard of “love conquers all”? It doesn’t say “be conquered by love”. The same goes for the woman, she accepted the son when he wasn’t of the same faith. Why should he convert if she really wanted to be with him? Crafty manipulator.
Oops, long rant. 🙂
ciao!
Jul 21
ErinGarbage
The diet week is finally over with the last day finding us consuming brown rice and dinengdeng (well our approximation of what dinengdeng would look like). The ampalaya was too bitter for my taste but the kalabasa (squash) was a pleasure to eat. No fruit juice though as I couldn’t find any in the house and going to the grocery to fetch one is a waste of gas.
Final weigh in? I still tipped the scale at 194 lbs so my total weight loss is 6 lbs or somewhere around 3 kilos. Not bad for a week of sacrifice eh? I am pretty sure I would gain it back in a week or two but at least I have somewhat purified my digestive system so it is ready to take on more abuse. 🙂 Kidding, my lunch viand usually comprises of fried fish and a vegetables. Breakfast and dinner are a whole different matter.
Neth is asking if we will go through the diet again the week after. My answer is a hell NO. Try asking me again after six months. 🙂
ciao!
Jul 20
ErinGarbage
This morning my body fought back to the weight loss and the scale tipped back into 194 lbs. That was three pounds more than yesterday morning weight and I think the potatoes I ate in the beef nilaga has something to do with it. No biggie though since that would still put my loss at around 3kilos.
With two healthy eaters, the 3/4 kilo beef that went into the pot had no real chance. Couple that with a dipping sauce made of patis and some taiwan chilis. Good thing we had no calamansi in the house otherwise the nilaga wouldn’t have made it out of lunch. 🙂
General Motors Diet for Day 7
Today your food intake will consist of brown rice, fruit juices and all the vegetables you care to consume.
How and Why it works
Day Seven finished off the program like a good cigar used to finish off Victorian meals, except much healthier. You have your system under control and it should thank you for the flushing and cleaning you just gave it.
Last day! Huzzaaahhh!!!!
ciao!
Jul 19
ErinGarbage
The feast day has ended with me licking my fingers to clean up the remaining juices dribbling from the burger I just consumed. 🙂
Fare for breakfast and lunch was the burger patty that Neth prepared the night before, sandwiched between Gardenia whole wheat buns, lettuce and lots of tomatoes. Very delicious and very filling even if the burger preparation is tedious since the buns are a little on the small side. The patties were made to fit but since I have six buns and four patties I had to ration them. There is no shortage on tomatoes though as that is one of the main fare for the day.
For dinner we didn’t push through with ordering burger from Grams because we wouldn’t make it on the showing of the Batman: The Dark Knight movie (yes, we watched it last night and it was great although really dark for kids). We just bought two McDonalds quarter-pounders without cheese and two bottles of mineral water. When we got home I finished the last burger from Neth’s stash and called it a day.
For the weigh-in, I am currently at 191 lbs so the total weight loss is now at 9 lbs. 🙂
General Motors Diet for Day 6
Beef and vegetables. Today you may eat an unlimited amount of beef and vegetables. Eat to your hearts content.
How and Why it works
Day Six is similar to day five, Iron and proteins from beef, Vitamins and fibre from vegetables. By now your system is in a total weight loss inclination. There should be a noticeable difference in the way you look today, compared to day one.
Beef nilaga anyone? 🙂
ciao!
Jul 18
ErinGarbage
I SURVIVED DAY 4!
I don’t know if its the digestive cleansing but I didn’t experience any looseness of bowel movement. That even worried me up to before I went to sleep because I was expecting that I will wake up in the ungodliest hours of the early morning to go to the bathroom and relieve myself of all those fiber. Thankfully I didn’t although what I excreted has a peculiar color. 😛
Anyway, the previous day was all about bananas and milk. Since my stomach has a strong reaction to milk, I opted to go with yogurt. I bought two kinds of yogurt: banana flavored and creamy. My wife favors the creamy variety but I find the flavored yogurts better.
This morning when I weighed in, the needle was between 191 and 192 pounds. My wife jokes that I was cheating with the weight reading because she only lost 3 pounds. I think I just have more excess fat to lose. I am only keeping track so I can have something to post here. In the previous week I didn’t check until the week was over. 🙂
Post Day 4: Weighing in at 192 pounds, total loss is around 8 pounds.
GM Diet for Day 5
Today is feast day. You will eat beef and tomatoes. Eat two 10 oz. portions of lean beef. Hamburger is OK. Combine this with six whole tomatoes. On day five you must increase your water intake by one quart. This is to cleanse your system of the uric acid you will be producing.
How and Why it works
Beef and tomatoes. The beef is for iron and proteins, the tomatoes are for digestion and fibre. Lots and lots of water purifies your system. You should notice colourless urine today. Your allowance calls for the equivalent of five “quarter ponders”. Do not feel you have to eat all this beef. You must eat the six tomatoes.
I like day 5. 🙂
ciao!
Jul 17
ErinRubbish, Work
Today I received a peculiar office memo; it gave five steps on what to do when a water/sprinkler leak occurs. The contents are pretty much in the realm of common sense
- cover and shut down electrical equipment.
- contact the company facilities department
- don’t power up equipment until conditions have been verified.
- if evacuation is required, follow proper evac procedures.
I merged two items since they are basically the same thing. What made this peculiar is that the memo was from the company’s information security department. I would expect this to come from the facilities department as it is a basic operational reminder but from the security team?
The only reason I can surmise is found in the last item. They are considering it as a localized disaster if it would require an evacuation. Nevertheless, this information should have come from the correct source as I am seeing a blurring of the distinction of the boundaries of the IT security team’s area of responsibility.
I am wondering though which office sprung the leak to prompt the memo. And how many employees actually tried to work while a leak or flooding is in progress. 🙂
ciao!
Jul 17
ErinGarbage
I was too sleepy this morning when I weighed in so I cannot decide if the scale was tipping at 195 or 196 pounds. No skin off my nose as I am just happy that I am already halfway through this diet week. 🙂
Yesterday’s fare was an apple in the morning, two servings of chopsuey for lunch, some grapes for my afternoon snack, and the stir-fry left-overs and another apple for dinner. As I was saying to my wife, I think the thing that makes this second attempt more tolerable is that I have too many things to do that I am too busy to think of my stomach. I was planning to open up a corn kernel can for my snack but it was too tedious and I ended up finishing the grapes that I was supposed to eat during lunch.
General Motors Diet for Day 4
Bananas and milk. Today you will eat as many as eight bananas and drink three glasses of milk. This will be combined with the special soup which may be eaten in limited quantities.
How and Why it works
Bananas, milk and soup sound the strangest and least desirable. You’re in for a surprise. You probably will not eat all the bananas allowed. But they are there for the potassium you have lost and the sodium you may have missed the past three days. You will notice a definite loss of desire for sweets. You will be surprised how easy this day will go.
Day 4 is the scariest part for me because I have a low tolerance for non-processed milk products. Combine that with bananas and I think I will spend some considerable time in the “john”.
ciao!
Jul 16
ErinGarbage
Weighing-in this morning, the rusty scale states that I have lost somewhere between 3 and 4 pounds. Neth says that life is unfair because she isn’t losing anything and I already have this haggard look. I don’t know if I can attribute that to the diet or to the work stress. Maybe it also means that I have more excess fat to burn and my body is starting to convert them into usable energy.
Yesterday was a pain because the local cafeteria only had ampalaya (bitter gourd) dishes and the way they prepare it leaves much of the bitter juices in the slices. I already invested way enough effort that I decided to continue with the diet and swallow the ampalaya slices like a man. *sniff, sniff*
Dinner was a blast since Neth cooked Tofu Stir-Fry which was very delicious and filling at the same time. I think ate too much since I woke this morning with a a pressing need to burp. 🙂
Post Day 2: Weighed in at 197lbs. Feeling groggy due to lack of sleep but that is just about it.
Current weight loss: 3 lbs.
General Motors Diet for Day 3
A mixture of fruits and vegetables of your choice. Any amount, any quantity. No bananas yet. No potatoes today.
How and Why it works
Eliminates the potato because you get your carbohydrates from the fruits. You system is now prepared to start burning excess pounds. You will still have cravings which should start to diminish by day four.
ciao!
Jul 15
ErinGarbage
I opted to write the update on the next day to give my body enough time to process what it has been tortured subjected in the previous day. The diet assumes that the maximum amount of weight that can be lost on the first day is 3 pounds. Our rusty err trusty weighing scale said that I am below 200lbs. I couldn’t see clearly but I think it was at 2 pounds but I would say that losing 1 pound is a safe and conservative bet.
Yesterday I had the craving to eat rice in the morning since I just had a pear. I went to the Robinson’s Pioneer grocery during lunch time and bought some grapes for our dinner and a couple of apples. I also found the cut portions (those that are already near the end of the ripe stage 😉 ) and bought a pack of watermelon, a pack of pineapples, and a pack of turnips. The pre-cut packs only cost me around 50 pesos. I ended up having the watermelon and half of the pineapples for lunch before I was subjected to a sequence of long meetings. At night (during the drive home) my wife was giving me grapes and I finished half of the turnips. It would have been sweet if I wasn’t munching on the turnip strips like a rabbit.
As I have stated in the bitesize posting, the day is pretty much not as painful as the first time I tried the diet. I am off to day 2!
Post Day 1: Weighed in at 199lbs. Not feeling super but not deprived either.
General Motors Diet for Day 2
All vegetables. You are encouraged to eat until you are stuffed with all the raw or cooked vegetables of your choice. There is no limit on the amount or type. For your complex carbohydrate, you will start day two with a large baked potato for breakfast. You may top the potato with one pat of butter.
How and Why it works
Starts with a fix of complex carbo-hydrates coupled with an oil dose. This is taken in the morning for energy and balance. The rest of day two consists of vegetables which are virtually calorie free and provide essential nutrients and fibre.
yum.
ciao!
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