Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Announcement of the Century

Mack here, well, I have a little somethin somethin to disclose.  I know you are all excited to hear what it is and sit in your chairs salivating for information about me so I will not procrastinate further.  As many of you know, I have been struggling with health issues over the last year that have left me in chronic pain/discomfort from head to knee.  I have also been gaining quite a bit of weight due to my thyroid issues and not being able to work out.  So I have been thinking a lot over the last few weeks about ANYTHING that I could do to really get back into a healthy lifestyle and have decided that for the time being I am going to be living a conservative vegetarian diet.  I feel that this could definitely do more good than harm for my body.  I will still be eating eggs and will be getting the necessary protein I need from whey-isolate protein shakes.  I'm not going to be super strict like a vegan level or anything, and I'm definitely not going to start preaching about how bad it is to eat an animal from some slaughter house in Texas.  Honestly, I love meat.  But it is something that I think I can sacrifice for the benefit and health of my body.  I don't feel healthy at all and I don't like that feeling. I like the way I felt when I was serious about my health and bodybuilding.  I looked fantastic and felt even better.  I look like crap and feel like it as well in the present time.  I think my choice will help me.  Let me know your thoughts.

Here is a picture of my dinner tonight.  It tasted soooo good.

   I cooked a black bean burger with tomatoes and an egg on top sandwiched by whole grain bread.  Seriously tasted really good.

Saturday, September 11, 2010

盆栽!!!!

Mack here, my wife has been asking me to post for the last 6 months, so I finally obliged.  Not only do you have the great privilege of reading my post, but also getting a taste for my new hobby....BONSAI!!!  Bonsai is the art of growing trees.  It originated in China but grew popularity in Japan, where we get the word bonsai.  To my surprise, as I was learning a little bit about this, I found out that the bonsai trees are grown from full stock seeds. I thought that it was some kind of "dwarfing" mutation but it just uses long term cultivation techniques like pruning, root reduction, potting, defoliation, and grafting to produce small trees that mimic the shape and style of mature, full sized trees.  It's pretty neat stuff and I never thought I was much of a green thumb (which was a term I had always associated with the art of weeding a garden).  But I don't like my thumbs that much (thumbs are weird looking aren't they???) so I guess I'll go with the term green finger.  Especially when my nails are manicured and trimmed, they are quite beautiful..hahaha.  I digress, I'm watching college football at the same time as writing this and it seems a little bit harder than first anticipated.

 Here are a few pics of my 5 year old, 7 inch tall deciduous Ficus tree.  Breana has affectionately named her Treebeard.  Not the prettiest name but I let her name this one.  I'm saving up for either a 20 year old Chinese Elm that is only 12 inches tall, or a 18 year old, 15 inch Juniper which I will name. Gorgeous trees, go look them up.

I use a growing light b/c out apartment has no natural light.
Beautiful little thing, isn't it?




I really like this picture.  I'm constantly amazed at the quality of pictures that the iPhone 4 can take. (obviously I can see that this one is a little blurry, user error)






















          Up close and personal meeting with Treebeard.














I am waiting for my office clock that I ordered to arrive here from Crate and Barrel and as soon as it is put up it will finish off my side of the office (Bre gets the other half) and I will post some pictures of the new HQ (playing too much Starcraft II) 

 OH YEAH, I ALMOST FORGOT TO MENTION!!!!!...........
       
      I got a new watch. It's gold plated Dolce&Gabbana.  Don't hate, or I will blind you with the blistering rays of the sun that bounce of this hot timepiece. 

Cheers,
      Big Mack

PS - since all who are reading probably think I'm a self absorbed douche, I'll tell you something that will help calm those envious feeling you inherit: Since moving to Ogden, I really miss being around my family and my wonderful brothers and sisters in law, and especially their children.  My little nephews and nieces that I can't get enough of.  Till next time.