New Job and "101 Things"

So I feel like my "One Life" has turned into about 5 lives that I don't have time for lately. One part of my 5 lives includes a new job that I'm super excited about! I'm still not completely sure what I am going to be doing, but whatever it is, I have a good feeling I'm going to like it. And it's got a much more promising future than my current 3 jobs. Basically it's a REAL job (no offense to my current employers) and I'm kinda terrified. I know I can do it, and I know I can do well at it, just slightly intimidating to go from a job where I know every in and out of what I'm supposed to be doing to something completely new. I think I am at a good point to be taking on something new though. I'm ready to be challenged and to prove that I am way smarter and more talented than I give myself credit for.

So, speaking of new challenges and all that, my friend just started a project/blog called the Day Zero Project. You can see her blog here http://jennik101things.blogspot.com/   and her Day Zero List here http://dayzeroproject.com/user/kushionjen    (hope she doesn't care that I'm sharing this with the world). Maybe you've heard of it before but I never have and I'm really intrigued. I like that it's a very well rounded set of goals. Like she said, it's goals that force her to push herself a little (or a lot) but are attainable. . .and some of em are just downright fun! Once I get a little more settled into a new routine and have time to think, I plan on making my own 101 things list and I think you should consider it too! I love her first post where she talks about being so busy with kids, work, life, etc that she worries about forgetting about herself. I think that's all too common with people (even for those of us without children) to get wrapped up in everything going on that we forget about ourselves. We can all be much better parents, friends, spouses, employees than we are now if we just keep working on ourselves and growing. Plus, I'm kinda obsessed with sticky notes and "to do" lists and this is like one great big post-it of things to do in the next 1001 days!

Since I'm advertising other people's blogs you should check this one out too. . .   http://wgvuengage.blogspot.com/     It has nothing to do with anything I just talked about but I'm one of the writers and I like to self promote :)

Food snob in the making. . .

I think I am officially over my chips and cheese addiction. . .intervention successful!! So happy I didn't have to have to the TV show come out and take me away. Truthfully, I kinda let my little plan fall to the side this week, mostly because I didn't have time to go buy groceries, but I still made MUCH healthier decisions and feel way better than before. I've always been a huge proponent of eating all natural, organic, blah, blah, blah but wasn't exactly living it. After my little "detox" experiment I feel like I am much more in tune with what my body is needing (which to my surprise is not chips and cheese and Dr. Pepper) and actually am starting to crave certain fruits, and veggies and proteins instead of junk food. I feel myself turning into a food snob and I'm pretty sure I'm OK with that :)

I've listened to quite a few conversations lately about people who have problems with their children - like doctors thought they had autism, A.D.D., or other behavior problems, and in the end they were able to "cure" them with strictly a change in diet. A few cases involved going gluten free but a lot were just cutting out processed foods. It seems like such an obvious connection that we eat so many un-natural things in this day and age and we see so many more cases of things like autism and A.D.D in children and so many more cases of cancer, and other diseases in adults. Something to think about. . . . .

Alright, coming back from my small tangent, if anyone is interested in giving my "detox" plan a try, shoot me an email and I would be happy to share the specifics with you.

Oh and I was gonna share my solution for getting over a pop addiction (this is not an original idea by any means). Find a really good juice, not like a sugary one but like the pomegranate juice or an all natural fruit something, preferably a thicker more concentrated juice and mix it with sparkling water or club soda.. . .totally satisfies your pop craving AND it's amazing with vodka. (Did you really think I wasn't going to drink liquor for 2 weeks???)

Intervention Day 4

Well so far so good. . I guess. I started Monday with my fruits and veggie (and chicken) plan and I can definitely already feel a difference. It certainly hasn't been easy, by Tuesday evening I was about dying for some damn chips and cheese. I did have to tweak my plan a little because frankly, I was starving. (Ok, maybe not starving, but I was incredibly hungry the first two days). Yesterday I decided to incorporate quinoa into my plan. It's incredibly healthy for you and it gives my fruit and veggies a little more substance. When you work all day then work out at night, you just can't live and fruits and veggies alone. I'm keeping a food journal and will post some of the recipes I've come up with later but here's a list of things I've learned thus far:

-I do actually feel better when I eat healthier. . crazy concept
-I get a much better work out in when I eat something healthy before the gym instead of random junk food
-Produce does not last forever. . and it smells funny when it gets old
-I maybe don't despise cooking as much as I thought
-I suck at cutting up and cooking chicken
-It's a lot easier to clean up the kitchen at the end of the night then to wait till the next day. . or the day after that
-Most farmers markets are only open when I work
-I don't require nearly as much food to function as previously thought

I'll keep ya posted on any new revelations that come to me, and I'll post some of my recipes. I have, surprisingly enough, come up with a few good ones!

Chips and Cheese Intervention

It's been a little while since my last post! I've had lots to say just not any time to say it! And now that I have a few minutes (taking a break from organizing our new office building) I can't really remember all the things I wanted to write about. I did come up with an idea though a few days ago I thought I would share. It came to me after a few too many days of eating and drinking, and eating and drinking, and drinking, and drinking. . . . I think I need a break from eating and drinking.  More or less I need an intervention from my chips and cheese addiction. :) I know my diet is already limited but I've been making horrible food choices lately (yes that is possible to do even when your gluten free) and frankly I've kind of felt like crap. Not the kind of crap I feel like when I eat gluten but just the lazy, 'I'd rather watch TV and eat chips and cheese then go for a walk' crap. I decided that starting Monday I'm going to do a 2 week detox type of diet. It's more my own concoction of a detox diet. I'm not a huge fan of the regular ones. While I do understand why people choose to do the detox diets, they aren't all healthy and they seem to be far too extreme. I'm not trying to magically drop a bunch of pounds or change my metabolism or anything, I just need a break from food. I am a huge proponent of taking the time to enjoy your food and of eating as much natural food as you can; neither of which I've done lately. To get myself back on track I'm thinking 2 weeks of almost only fruits and veggies, with some grilled chicken breasts mixed in. I'll either do an all natural cereal for breakfast or 2 eggs then only fruits, veggies, chicken the rest of the day. Of course I will need my coffee but I plan to limit myself to 1 SMALL cup in the morning before I leave the house. I know I have some social engagements coming up too, so instead of completely cutting out alcohol I plan to limit myself to 1 or 2 glasses of wine. I basically just need to get myself back into my groove of eating well and working out and for me, this seems like the best way to do it.  The more fruits and veggies I eat the more I crave them and, likewise, the more chips and cheese I eat the more I crave them, and crave them, and crave them. . .. seriously need an intervention. You should be impressed that am intervention-ing myself and not waiting for the chips and cheese police to take me away. Anyway, that's my plan, guess we will see how it goes!

What is Celiac Disease? An Educational Posting

This has the potential to be a very long post (don't say I didn't warn ya), but I wanted to take a minute to educate my readers (who are mostly my friends) about Celiac Disease. I sometimes forget that not everyone knows about the disease and I get really sick of always having to explain it so hopefully this is helpful for anyone interested. My disclaimer: I AM NOT A DOCTOR. If you think you may be gluten intolerant please see your doctor. This is meant to help educate my friends and family, and not to be taken as medical advice.

Gluten Sensitivity:
There is a very wide range of gluten sensitivity. You can have Celiac Disease, you can be gluten intolerant, you can simply get a bit of an upset stomach when you eat gluten, or you can be anywhere in between. The hard part in diagnosing any of it is that the symptoms can be all over the board. Some one with gluten intolerance can be far more physically ill than some one with Celiac Disease, you can have Celiac Disease but show no symptoms, or, again, you can be anywhere in between. As if that's not confusing enough, the symptoms themselves are all over the board. There are over 300 different symptoms associated with gluten intolerance and Celiac Disease. The most common ones revolve around stomach and intestinal "issues" but can include anything from skin rashes to neurological conditions and depression. From there, the neurological symptoms can be anything from a "brain fog" to symptoms associated with autism and MS. Obviously, this is far more complicated than "just an allergy" as I've heard it referred to.

Celiac Disease vs. Gluten Intolerance:
The difference between Celiac Disease and gluten intolerance is a little more straight forward. If you have Celiac Disease, any time you ingest gluten it is actually damaging your intestine. Gluten intolerance can cause you to be super sick but does not damage your intestine. This damage makes it difficult, or if its been damaged long enough, impossible for you to absorb nutrients and, if not taken care of, can lead to a million and one other problems including infertility and some cancers. The amazing part of all of this is that once you stop eating gluten your intestine is able to completely heal itself. Depending on how long the damage has been taking place, it can take a few years to fully heal. Now I've had people ask me, "Do you actually have Celiac Disease or just an intolerance?" To me that is an absolutely absurd question. Either way, if you can't eat gluten, you can't eat gluten. There are plenty of people with "just an intolerance" who get way sicker (is sicker a word?) than I do from eating gluten.

Gluten Free Food:
Gluten is found in wheat, barely, and rye. Most people know the obvious, but wheat can be found in almost anything processed or frozen, and often hiding in things you would never expect. Basically eating gluten free means eating a very natural diet (which I think everyone should eat regardless).. .veggies, fruit, meat, potatoes, rice, dairy, etc. There are also a ton of gluten free options to replace your bread, pasta, etc. Doesn't sound so hard does it??? Well, it gets tricky. . . .

Cross Contamination:
A HUGE thing I have to worry about is cross contamination. In theory, oats are gluten free. BUT if they have been harvested, processed, or packaged on the same machinery as wheat they are NOT gluten free. This is the case for A LOT of food. Items labeled as gluten free are often processed in a completely separate facility to insure no cross contamination. Most of that info can be found near the ingredient list on a package. This is part of why eating a natural diet is far easier then trying to navigate packaged food. This whole cross contamination things gets even trickier when you go out to eat. The best way to explain it is to give an example. . . There are a lot of places that now offer gluten free pizza. The problem is, if they make that gluten free pizza and, for example, have some flour on their apron from a regular pizza and a fleck of the flour falls on my gluten free pizza, it's been contaminated. That can be enough to make a person sick for days. Personally, I can tell if I ingested it, it won't make me violently ill, but even that speck is damaging my intestine. It's easy to think, well I'm not super sick so no big deal, but it is still damaging my insides even if I'm not physically ill. Make sense?? Just because a restaurant has a gluten free menu doesn't mean it's safe. Unfortunately, you really have to talk with managers, cooks, etc if you want to be sure. This also makes it difficult to eat in others homes. You can have the best of intentions making me something gluten free but if it was mixed with the same spoon or in the same pan as something else, I just can't eat it. Plus, gluten is found in so many places that you don't even think to look if you aren't used to it including spices, non-organic meat, sauces, dressings, beverages, etc.

How to treat a Celiac:
If you work in a restaurant. . don't be an asshole. I am not "doing that gluten free thing" to lose weight, you telling me "I'm sure you'll be fine" is not encouraging, and telling me "there are no substitutions" before you even hear my request just pisses me off. If you don't have, can't make, or just don't know about anything gluten free, that's ok. Just tell me. I'm not going to get mad, I am not going to demand you make something special, I just need to know so I don't eat something and get sick. I try my best to research and contact places before going out to eat and usually just have a few questions when we get to a restaurant. Just be nice and be HONEST about your food.
If you are a friend or family member. . .my not being able to eat certain things bothers YOU a whole hell of a lot more than it bothers me. I am perfectly content with a drink and a salad if there's nothing else I can eat. I don't care that I can't eat the cookies and if you want to go out to a certain restaurant than by all means lets go! Let me worry about me. If I have a special request I will let you know. And PLEASE do not be offended if you make something and I don't eat it, or if I ask to see the package something came out of. It's nothing to do with you or your cooking. Finally, do NOT feel guilty eating something in front of me. Yes, there are foods I miss, but its ok. Don't not eat something because of me, that just makes me feel bad. It has been a huge mental and emotional journey through this process that I never expected. I have been so grateful for my friends and family who have embraced learning about the disease and who have even experimented with making me special foods. I appreciate all that more than you know, but most of all I just want to be able to enjoy my time with you without the constant focus being on food. And one final note, Celiac Disease is forever. I will never be done with this and odds are, if Dan and I ever have children, they will have it too. So my one last request is, please, please don't ask me if I'm done with that "diet thing".

So there it is, your lesson for the day! I may have made it sound horrible, but it really isn't all that bad. It's been a big adjustment but nothing I couldn't handle, and my quality of life has only gotten better since being diagnosed. I really am happy to answer any other questions you might have. While I don't like talking about it in every single social situation, I don't mind answering questions at all! It's a lot to understand and it's becoming more and more prevalent now-a-days. I am happy to do what can to help people understand it a little more!

You are what you think

Well it's back to real life after a fabulous holiday weekend. . .which also just happened to include my 28th birthday. It was an amazing few days (minus the 8 hour long hangover on Saturday) with friends and family, eating and drinking, playing games and eating some more. I've decided we should get a 3 day weekend like that at least once a month. It's good to have some time off to really relax and enjoy time with others and, especially over memorial day, to reflect on how blessed we all are. I feel like we get so wrapped up in thinking about what we don't have or how mad we are at some one about something that happened 10 years ago that we forget about all the good things in our lives. Granted, at times it's hard to find any good things, but they're there. You just have to choose to focus on them no matter how big or small. I'm trying to focus my blog on my journey to become healthier and a huge part of that is emotional health. I don't think you can maintain physical health if you aren't emotionally healthy as well. You are what you eat just as much as you are what you think. If your thoughts are of gratitude, peace, and joy then that is how you will approach situations, even tough ones.

My new years resolution this year was to simplify. I didn't specify what I wanted to simplify because I just overall wanted to clear the clutter, literally and not so literally. Think of how great it feels to clean out your closet at the end of the season (boys might not get this). It lets you see what items you may need to buy and what old ratty clothes you need to toss. It's a good thing to do mentally too. Toss out the old grudges, greed and mental clutter and suddenly you have all this energy and space to devote to the things you were missing. On my own personal journey I've tossed a lot of stuff out - including really ugly clothes from high school. I've forgiven people who probably never even knew they needed forgiving, I've quit being jealous of others for the way they look and the things they have and I'm learning that the way I look and the things I have are perfect and the things themselves really are just that, things. I have a whole new mental peace with my life and I would like to think that radiates to the people I'm around. I don't do stress or drama, it's not worth my energy or time, both of which I never seem to have enough of. It really is easier to forgive, forget, let things go and laugh it off. You will live a longer and more fulfilled life. . . .I'm sure there is some study somewhere that would prove me right :)

Now is the New Beginning

I did it! I ran my first 10K! And I ran the WHOLE thing, minus about 20ft where I was so smooshed between people that I couldn't run. And ya know what, I actually had FUN! I met some very inspiring people along the way and really enjoyed the whole experience. I was slow, but I finished in an hour and a half and actually did not come in last :) It's a pretty amazing feeling to think I actually ran 6.2 miles when a year and half ago I couldn't run down the block and up until Saturday I didn't actually think I could run more than 4 miles.

Around mile 4.5 when I needed something to distract me from the ungodly burning in my thighs, I started thinking about what comes next for me. I've come a LONG way in the past year, part of which includes finally figuring out what was medically wrong, and while I am incredibly proud of my accomplishments thus far, I feel like now is the new beginning.  Now that I have found something I really enjoy I want to focus on running and work to improve my mile time and eventually distance (one thing at a time). I've learned a lot about what I can and can not eat based on my celiacs but I also want to focus more on eating natural, healthy foods. I do want to start incorporating a more well rounded work out as well with weight training and trying out some different sports and classes. In the end, yes, I do hope these things lead to me losing the rest of the weight FOR GOOD, but besides that, these things make me feel better. Working out and eating well makes me feel far more confident. It makes me wake up in the morning ready to go and makes me feel like I can take on new challenges personally and professionally. It makes me want to look my best and go out with friends and meet new people, and makes me want to get all dolled up for a date with my hubby. Whether I lose the weight or not, simply feeling this much better about myself and about life is worth the extra effort it takes to work out and eat well.

Because of this revelation, I think I have decided that is what my blog is going to be about. While I guarantee there will still be posts about random subjects that don't have to do with anything, overall I want to take you on my journey and hopefully help to inspire and encourage people like myself along the way. I've always been told I have a very unique perspective on life and a good down to earth grasp for "someone my age" so this may be a good way for me share it with the world. And of course I plan to do it in the bluntly honest, sarcastic, funny, non politically correct way that is ME :)

This one's for the fat kids

I am running my first 10K this weekend! This is huge for me! 6.2 miles is far. . . reallllly freaking far, and I am RUNNING it. So here's some back story and my attempt at inspiring people like myself. I am not a natural born, physically fit person. Frankly, when it comes to any type of physical activity, biology is working against me. I am not a small person, have never been a small person, and will never be a small person. I'm fairly confident that if I was super skinny I would look like an alien because I have such large feet, hands, head, etc. Anyways, being larger makes it much more difficult to do physical activities. It's not an excuse. I'm not asking for people to feel sorry for me. It's simply a fact. The fat kid can't run as fast or do as many sit ups as the skinny kid. I wasn't fat because my parents fed me fast food or because I laid on the couch all weekend, I was just a naturally larger kid. So growing up, gym class was like sending me into the hot fires of hell. I hated it. And I think it's cruel and unusual punishment to make kids run a timed mile, or count the # of sit ups and pull ups they can do in front of their peers. It makes the fat kids DESPISE gym, when those are the ones you should be encouraging to love physical activity. Long story short, I did end up losing a bunch of weight in college just to gain it all back and then some once the celiac disease kicked in. Basically my whole life I have been overweight and not very physically fit. Pretty sure there hasn't been a day since probably 1st grade when I haven't thought about my weight. Again, not asking for pity, just simply a fact that I know a lot of other people can relate to. Finally, about a year and a half ago I decided I wanted to run a 5K. I've always worked out, pretty much since high school, just never anything super intense or challenging and I certainly wasn't able to run more than 10ft without wanting to die. I basically just made up my mind I wanted to run this 5K and was going to do it no matter what. I think it really is as simple as that. (This is where I am going to inspire you). What I learned is, I (and you) can do anything. It's a matter of making up your mind to do something and being willing to put in the work to get there. My particular focus here is on losing weight and getting healthy. Assuming you don't have any medical conditions, any overweight person CAN lose weight. And you CAN do it without surgery, disgusting canned drinks, or pills. You can learn to eat healthy and you can learn to be physically active but you have to be willing to do it. It's a hell of a lot harder for some us who don't naturally lose weight easily but it's not impossible. It is in your control and only your control. Maybe you're heavy because you parents were heavy but get over it. You can do something about it. It is 100% mental. You make up your mind and you never look back. It might be hard as hell, and painful at times, and time-consuming but if your sick of being uncomfortable in your own skin like I was then just do it. I promise, if I can run a 5K (and this was while being incredibly sick from all the celiac crap) you can do it to. Maybe your thing isn't running but find something and commit to doing it. You will thank yourself in the end. And you will realize how much more you are capable of mentally and physically than you ever imagined. No one has the right to bitch and complain about their situation unless they are doing something to change it. And while there is a good chance I will come in last, and I might not be able to move for the next week I will run this 10K and I will finish this 10K and I will prove to myself once more that I can do it. Weight wise, I still have long way to go but I can honestly say I have never felt better about myself and it make take a while, but I will get to my goal weight and I will enjoy every adventure on the way.

The world does NOT revolve around you (or me)

25 Manners Every Kid Should Know

The above article is by far the most refreshing article I've read online in a while. It's short, simple, to the point, and full of useful info for EVERYONE. There were more than a few things listed on there that I am guilty of not doing and it reminded me of a recent conversation. . .


People in today's society are so damned concerned with themselves that they have no clue what is actually happening in the world around them. Whether it be showing up late for a meeting, cutting off a car in traffic, holding up traffic because you want to chat with your friend on the sidewalk, sitting on a work out machine you aren't using when clearly someone is waiting for said machine, or having a conversation with your co-worker when someone is waiting to check out (none of these from real life experiences of course) you are being self-absorbed and rude. Doing stuff like this shows the people around you that you have no concern for what others are doing or need, but are focused on what YOU want to do when YOU want to do it. I know I'm guilty of things like this too, but I really truely try to pay attention to what is going on around me and if I am in someones way, I move. Or if I am going to wait in a parking lot while Dan runs into the store, I'm going to park my car somewhere other than the middle of a lane so no one can get around me. It's common courtesy. Showing up late consistently is telling your friends/co-workers/family that you think your time is more important than theirs. And you may say "it's ok to start without me" and I say "what makes you so fucking special that you don't have to be here on time but everyone else does?" Think about it. Think of what an amazing place it would be if everyone worried more about others than themselves. I'm talking day to day things. We've all done charity work, and volunteered, or donated to various causes which is an amazing thing but the simple day to day actions are what can change a life, community, and maybe someday the world. And back to the original article.  . . .most childrens these days are obnoxious little brats. Lets teach them some manners before they turn into obnoxious, selfish adults.

After the tone, please record your message. . .

I hate cell phones. Anyone who claims to be my friend probably knows my voicemail recording by memory. And to those friends. . .please don't take it personally. It's not that I don't want to talk to YOU, it's that I simply don't want to talk on the phone at all. Or it could be buried in my purse on silent. I think people are far too concerned with checking their blackberry or talking to/texting every last known person they've met than they are with what is actually happening around them. Now I get that I am the extreme anti-phone and there is a happy medium, but most people are the extreme phone obsessed. On my run yesterday I passed 3 different people walking/running while on the phone. One conversation consisted of "omg, I know, I can't believe she wore that." Really? It's a beautiful day out, we were near the park where people were laughing and playing and you would rather be on the phone, while running (which I also don't get because frankly I can't breath let alone talk while I run) than enjoying the sounds and sights of a beautiful spring day?? I think people are afraid to be alone. I think people are scared of their own thoughts and of spending time with themselves. If you ever notice someone sitting by themselves at a restaurant or in a waiting room, 9 times out of 10 they have their phone out. Sure, it kills time while waiting, but so would chatting with the guy next to you or reading a book. Personally, for me to have a meaningful conversation where I am actually paying attention to what the other person is saying I need to be in a fairly quiet place without a ton of people around. I don't see the point in having a conversation where you are not fully engaged and therefore, do not see the point of trying to have a conversation while I am also shopping for groceries at Meijer. That dear friends is why I don't answer when you call. It's because I care and want all our conversations to be meaningful (insert doubtful laughter here). But really, you're missing out on a lot happening around you and in your own head if you are constantly on the phone. There are people and things in real life that deserve your attention too. And if we are hanging out and your phone rings mid-conversation, don't answer. It's fucking rude. (Emergencies are an exception of course)  :)

Living life Gluten Free

While I'm leaving my blog open to many different "subjects", one that I will be visiting often is my gluten free lifestyle. I say lifestyle because it is so much more than just a diet. I strongly considered a blog focused strictly on this, but decided there is more to me than celiac disease so why limit myself to writing about just that. The condensed version of how I ended up gluten free. . .I spent about 3 years trying to convince my doc that something was wrong with me and basically she just thought I was fat and not living a "healthy" lifestyle (she never said that, but it was implied). After more or less demanding they figure out what was wrong with me, I had some blood drawn and they found I was "gluten intolerant" - yes, it was that easy. An appointment with a gastroenterologist (whom I refer to as the poop doctor) and about 10 gallons of blood later I was diagnosed with celiac disease. My main symptoms were excessive exhaustion, unexplained weight gain (like almost 100lbs), "stomach" issues beyond belief (you DON'T want to know the details), and an overall sense of yucky-ness which is probably medically defined as a form of depression.  It was one those things where I knew something was very wrong with me but just couldn't necessarily define what. After this whole experience, I believe strongly in being your own advocate when it comes to doctors. I really do like and trust my doctor but I may have trusted her a little too much. If I had been a little more demanding with my treatment maybe I wouldn't have spent 3 years feeling like crap, and thinking it was "all in my head". The only reason I'm sharing all that with you is because I know I'm not the only one who has ever been in a situation like that. No matter what it is, you know your body and mind and you know when something is not right. If your doctor won't help then find another and another and another until you find someone who will. So, it has been a little over 6 months since all this went down and I started gluten free and I can honestly say it has changed my life. I am learning that, while the physical effects of celiacs are awful, the mental took a much bigger toll. Right now is a recovery process. I'm working to lose the weight, gain the confidence to start a new career, and simply get back to being me. It's been a pretty enlightening journey thus far so I'd say it's safe to assume I have a lot to look forward to. 

Here we go!

Well, here we go! This is my official first blog post. I know NOTHING of what I am doing, so you may have to bare with me for a while. So why  "One L" you ask? For starters, my name is Alison, spelled with ONE L. I don't care if strangers mess it up, but there are people I've known for years who still spell it Allison and it annoys me. Then I got to thinking, if I am going to bother with a blog I would like to attempt to write something meaningful. I would hate to simply bore the blogging world with stories of my daily life (although I'm told my life is far more entertaining than most), so a few ideas crossed my mind. Sometime between facebook and reading my Shape magazine at work I came up with One Life. I don't know anymore about life than the next schmuck but I do know it's not worth wasting. Whether you believe in heaven/hell (I do) or re-incarnation (I better not come back as a cat - I hate cats) or any of the other theories out there, it still comes down to living this one life, with this one body, and one mind, during this one time period. Why not make the best of that. Not gonna lie, sometimes life sucks. . .sometimes life sucks a lot for a long time, but if all your focused on is the sucking, you miss out on a whole hell of a lotta good. And so here I am. . . .One L. You'll learn more about me as time goes on but here is my first disclaimer: I am NOT politically correct, appropriate, or concerned with pissing you off. I overuse the F word and am bluntly honest with my opinions and ideas. I welcome argument for anything I say that you disagree with but I will not apologize for offending anyone. If you don't like what I am writing, don't read it. Now that we got that out of the way (I promise I'm not as mean as that sounded) . . . .Here We Go!!