Whew, what a week we’ve had for “Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb” from my special podcast series featuring weight loss success stories to the winding down of my recording schedule now that I’ve got shows lined up for the rest of 2010. I do have a rather interesting podcast to record on Labor Day with none other than Dr. Neal Barnard from the vegan-based Physicians Committee For Responsible Medicine (PCRM) where he will try to convince me that a plant-based vegan diet is optimal for people with diabetes. Wish me luck on that one–I wonder if he’ll convince me? HA!
It is “Fun-Filled Friday” again and I’d like to explain what this post is all about since there are a lot of new readers or long-timers who just forgot what the purpose of it is all about. During the week I keep my posts on topic related mostly to diet, nutrition, health, fitness, and of course, LOW-CARB! But on Fridays in this special weekly post, I let my hair down a bit, loosen up in my writing style, share quick snippets not worth a whole blog post about in the health arena, and then link to fun, funny, or interesting tidbits and videos that are on my radar screen. I like to talk about the issues of the day that people are talking about and solicit your feedback about them as well. Contrary to what you might think, my world is not all about livin’ la vida low-carb. I love music, reality television shows, volleyball, Texas Hold ‘Em, anything dealing with words, current events, and loving on that woman I call my wife named Christine.
You see, I’m a guy who has a life outside the confines of this blog and I like to share bits and pieces of that in these Friday posts. Some people have openly expressed their desire for me to refrain from writing about anything other than low-carb and I’d like to respond to that–it ain’t gonna happen! Although low-carb is the primary focus of “Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb,” at the end of the day this is my blog where I can pretty much write about anything I’d like. Who lives their life on one subject alone and is even remotely considered “normal?” Nobody I know, that’s for sure. While it may be preferred in a “perfect world” that nothing hits this blog other than columns about low-carb and low-carb alone, in the real world there’s so much more to Jimmy Moore than that. And what’s interesting is I very RARELY offer up my opinions about the things I post here that are not health-based because I honestly would love to hear the feedback from my readers in a friendly debate of ideas. Spurring this kind of exchange is something else that interests me which is why I do it. So, take a look at what is shared here, comment on those topics that interest you, and ignore those things that you don’t care a bit in the world about. There’s a little something for everyone here on “Fun-Filled Friday.”
Speaking of my wife Christine, she’s been doing remarkably well on her recommitment to healthy low-carb living. While she’s NEVER had a real weight problem, I’m proud of her for shedding about 10 pounds in the past month or so getting back to the basics of low-carb again. Here she is yesterday cooking up some fresh, local green beans in a skillet with copious amounts of butter:
That’s my girl! I’m so proud of that woman for being committed to getting healthy. She hasn’t always been 100% on board with the low-carb way of life as a full-time thing, but right now she is and I’m in awe of what she’s been able to accomplish. Friday nights are when Christine and I have a weekly “date night” because, as you can imagine, my torrid schedule leaves precious little time to be with her and do things we like to do together. Tonight we have rented the movie Julie & Julia starring Meryl Streep which has come highly-recommended by so many of my readers. Can’t wait to watch it and spend some time with my honey in the process. Don’t you just love Fridays? Reminds me of that awesome song by The Cure called “Friday I’m In Love.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhruzMJ6OK4
Catchy tune and the message ever-so-true! Speaking of songs, are you a fan of the NBC summer hit television show America’s Got Talent (aka AGT)? If so, then no doubt you have heard about 10-year old Jackie Evancho who got her chance at stardom thanks to submitting her audition through YouTube. This pretty little blonde-headed girl with a voice like nothing you’ve ever heard from a kid–well, take a listen for yourself of her first performance on the show a few weeks ago.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPITHzdUUDk
Stunning talent she has and I certainly don’t want to take anything away from her. But the cynic in me watches talent shows like that one and wonders if there is manipulation done by the judges and producers to convince the people calling in to vote to pick certain talent acts. Again, Jackie totally deserves the accolades she’s getting and I’d say she’s certainly a frontrunner to win the whole thing which includes a $1,000,000 prize and show on the Las Vegas strip. But before Jackie got into the competition last month–two months after the show began–the leading act was undoubtedly “Fighting Gravity” with the most unique thing that’s been seen on that show in years. Check out their New York City audition from this group of ambitious college students back in June.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5CqE3rPxEY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5CqE3rPxEY
Quintessential Vegas act…and yet they could be beaten in the finals of the competition in a couple of weeks by a heavily-hyped 10-year old opera singer. Regardless of what happens with the “reality show” part of this, I think both acts will have quite the career ahead of them. That’s the beauty of television–even if you’re not the winner, the exposure you receive being on a show like AGT or American Idol can propel you to the next level. Just ask Clay Aiken and Chris Daughtry. And when Simon Cowell comes out with his new talent show “The X Factor” in America in 2011 on FOX, the wanna-be stars will be out in full force.
I’m fortunate because of the notoriety I’ve received from writing this blog and books to have the opportunity to appear on local television from time to time even outside the realm of health. One of those happened earlier this week on the Greenville/Spartanburg, SC CBS-TV affiliate WSPA for their nightly show called “Scene On 7.” One of the segments on that show is called the “Main Event” where they discuss interesting news items with local opinion makers. I’m on their list of people to contact and was privileged to appear on the August 30, 2010 show discussing a couple of issues that were interesting to the viewers. I always enjoy being on this program, especially with someone who’s as animated as my fellow guest Dr. Roger Rhoades as well as the host of this program who is a sweetheart lady named Kimberly Kelly. Don’t you know I would have LOVED to talk about the “Pistol-packin’ grandma” story of a 69-year old woman who shot an intruder coming into her house late at night this week in Decatur, Alabama who admits she sleeps with her gun. My favorite quote from the story was when she said, “I shot three times and he ran away hollering.” GET ‘EM GRANDMA! Of course, that burglar could have run into one of these two women which would have sucked for him.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Il2UxaVqVY
Beware the wrath of a menopausal woman! Hee hee! Oh man, I’m in trouble now. Oh well, while I’m already in deep water, how about I share with you a pretty hilarious video I found surfing around YouTube this week. It was submitted as an entry in a contest called Aniboom in the “Community” category. The concept is about a psychotic loaf of bread looking to enact revenge on Dr. Robert C. Atkins for creating the Atkins low-carb diet eschewing bread. It’s called “Bang Bang You Are Bread.” ENJOY!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OOs-0OtHt0
If you can’t laugh at this kind of humor, then you just don’t have a funny bone in your body! Maybe this television commercial featuring acupuncture will have you grinning from ear to ear.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3DVN7XMiQk
I’m not sure what they’re selling in this ad, but it’s certainly memorable. And if you want to see something that you won’t soon forget, check out this miraculous story of an Australian couple who were blessed with fraternal twins only to be told moments after birth that their baby boy Jamie was dead. But after the mother Kate Ogg cuddled him close to her chest for two hours, this little boy came back to life again. Doctors were incredulous but the parents were hopeful. Check out this CNN story about how “kangaroo care” restored this baby to health.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhrRTQdW-UU
WOW! Call it what you want, but this is a blessing from God that nobody will ever be able to take away from the Ogg family for the rest of their lives. I wouldn’t be surprised if He has a grand plan for Jamie’s life and insisted on making sure that purpose is fulfilled. We’ll see about that as this miracle baby grows up. And finally today, if you’re a “dad” or are married to one you love, then I think you’ll appreciate this entertaining rap video called “It’s A Dad’s Life” (hat tip to my low-carb blogging buddy Amy Dungan).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGE1tqyyiRQ
I’m not even a father and I get how funny (and TRUE!) that video is! Oh my gosh, great stuff! Well, before I got on this “Fun-Filled Friday” I’ve got a favor to ask you. A high school friend of mine is working on her Master’s in nursing and needs real-life feedback from people responding “honestly, openly” with your “first knee jerk response” to the following question:
What is your perception of the ROLE of the professional nurse?
Her name is Shelley Palmer and you can e-mail her your comments directly in response to that question at shelleypalmer@ymail.com. THANKS for helping out Shelley with this project because she needs “as much input as possible” to make it worthwhile. And that’s all I have for you this week’s FFF post. Labor Day weekend is the official end to summer, so go out there and enjoy some great low-carb grillin’ and send summer out with a bang. Thanks so much for reading “Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb!”
