The Girls

1

Allergen avoidance

If you are one of my closer friends or family you undoubtedly know that I have bad allergies. I found out through an allergy test recently that mostly inhalants do me in, dogs, ragweed, pollen, trees, grass, and dust mites to be specific. This allergies have progressed over the last few years to the point where I thought it was time to take somewhat drastic measures.
A little background first....Since I went to school for the career I'm in now, I've become fascinated with learning, mostly facets of our everyday life. So when I have a question about anything, the research starts. This is the age of information, I'm knees deep in it, and love it.
My allergen research started 3 years ago when my allergies first started. I was probably 6 months into school. Already I was experiencing more stress than I ever had before. I wasn't even 1/4 finished with school before I found out I was going to be a dad. Poor diet (lacking real nutrition), always on the go (full time work and school), smoking, lack of sleep, and lots of alcohol were really taking a toll on me. I believe these elements play a big part in my allergies. Some people like George burns can smoke until they die at the rip age of 100. I believe they are the exception, not the rule.

The doc informed me of this and firmly advised me to stop smoking.
With the hope that it would fix my allergy problem I stopped the next day and have not smoked since. Now like most smokers who have quit, I find cigarettes repulsive. I sympathize with those who try to quit still because I know how hard it can be.

It took about a year of being finished with school for the stress to recede a good bit but I still continue to work at it. Sometimes I have to focus on having fun. I think I'm getting better at it.

I do much more driving than I did before school but I have learned to make it a relaxing time. For me that means listening to Radiolab podcast. My driving schedule is much less of a factor than it used to be suffice it to say. I consume a lot less alcohol and sleep much more.

My diet, is the only element I've recently started to change. I mention this last not because it's the last element I started to work on but rather I believe it has been the most important in my life. I used to workout a lot and thought I knew a lot about nutrition. I would buy bag after bag of frozen manufactured chicken breast, canned tuna, protein powder, enriched wheat bread, low fat frozen tv dinners. Forksoverknives changed my perspective on that. My diet belongs in a whole 'nother post because I have such strong convictions for it.


These are the biggest past habits that I needed to change. I will list some things that I have learned that you can employ in your life and why you should, if you have bad allergies.

1. Shower before bed. It washes away the contaminants (like pollen) you've picked up throughout the day.
2.Get an allergen proof mattress and pillow case. It works great with other mitigation steps.
3. Eat organic fruits and vegetables. Foods really do enable your body to fix itself.
4. Drink lots of water! Water even makes Claritin and Zyrtec work better. I don't advise taking these antihistamines daily.
5. Use a vacuum w/ a hepa filter. You don't want to throw allergens like pet dander back into the air.
6. Take in as much vitamin C as you can. Vitamin  C is a natural antihistamine. You will pee out whatever your body can't use.
7. Use ADMS spray. You can find it on Amazon.com. I have been using it for a few weeks and have noticed that it does what it says.


Check out my next post on raw diet.

e.paypal.com Scam?

I received an email from "paypal" telling me my May account statement is ready to view. It strikes me as a little strange this late in June but whatever. I turned the google lab on to display a key next to paypal emails to authenticate paypal. This email I received looked authentic in every way (i edited pic in Paint which turned it into a super compressed jpeg)except that it came from an e.paypal.com domain. It also struck me as weird that the link in the email to log in is pointed at a secure session (https://email-edg.paypal.com/r/DXWSIIO7/NPZBI/NKSSIIG/GKP0I5/44RHO/AW/h) which when you go to the link it looks like a session you had and is asking you to log back in. It looks like a MITM (man in the middle attack) to me. I could be totally wrong but better to follow safe practices and open up a browser yourself and type in the paypal address yourself. Do Not Ever click on links emailed to you. If it's your friend emailing you a funny youtube link, ask them what it is first. Their answer will confirm whether it is from them or not. Email addresses can be easily spoofed through SMTP relays.

From Nov 19, 2011

What did you learn?

I learned last weekend that Edward Bernays (Friend of Sigmon Freud) started the idea that "you should buy something because you deserve it." That idea is so ingrained in us that to me, I'm not sure he even spawned the idea, maybe instead provoked it. I watched a documentary called "Ethos" on Netflix. Great documentary narrated by Woody Harrelson. Ethos cleverly debates the problems with our economy and suggests a real simple answer on how to fix it. The answer is very simple and able to be employed by anyone. I can't tell you the answer here because it could too easily be misinterpreted.

Ethos

Dime Time

I was practicing guitar for a minute last night. I've been focusing on playing and learning new things. I discovered something last night that is elementary for most advanced guitar players (a group of players I do not consider myself to be a part of). While practicing my phrasing and licks I started looking at the blues pentatonic scales. I started linking the positions together and playing in the vein of Dimebag Darrell. Easy when you've been practicing Pantera licks. I realized this a lot of what made up Dimebag's lead style. It's one thing when someone tells you something (answer to a question), it's a lot more exciting when you discover it and feel and practice the answer yourself.
I challenge you to learn something this weekend and apply it, even if it is something really small; just make it something you like. When you apply a technique/answer it becomes yours. If you already do this a lot you probably already know what I'm talking about. It feels great.
I've been using my camera a lot lately and doing things I wouldn't normally do because my little friend Kate wants me to take her picture in almost every kind of lighting condition except optimal. It's forced me to experiment with ISO, shutter speed, f stop and all that jazz. Knowledge is great but Wisdom will kick it's ass every time.
No pics to go along with this post, but I will learn something this weekend and post it here. Please don't be afraid of making mistakes or looking stupid. You're capable of really great things, I'm serious.

MadMady

Little known fact...Cane's (Raising Cane's) causes happy feet.

Famous Mug shots

When you see things like this, Top 10 rockstar mug shots, do you wonder the same thing I do? Am I playing it too safe? With the exception of Billy Joe Armstrong, Scott Stapp, and Vince, you have to wonder, is it part of their genius or am I just a nutless monkey? I'm just wondering where Dimebag Darrell is. I mean he had to be arrested at some point, right? I guess he was such a jovial individual that cops did not have the heart to arrest him.