lost and found in retirement
As 2011 comes to an end, I am evaluating my wellness vision. In late 2010, a fellow weight loss surgery buddy was talking about building his personal wellness vision. It intrigued me. I didn’t know what a wellness vision exactly was. I had a good grasp on what a vision was from working in corporate America. I was curious how to apply the concept to…
Temptation. When I hear that word, I think of an evangelist preaching at a big tent revival on the perils of falling prey to the temptations of sex, liquor and sinful living. The reality is that temptation is around us every day. I know I can not escape the aroma of sugary baked goods; the sight of cheesy, fat laden comfort food; and the call…
It is Thanksgiving week and last night I was fortunate to hear a very motivational speaker at my local weight loss surgery support group. The guest speaker is a breast cancer survivor who told her story. What was most outstanding about this speaker was her positive outlook on life and determination to stomp out her cancer. Central to her recovery and perseverance is the theme…
“Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear.”—Mark Twain I particularly like the above Mark Twain quote about fear. The most common quotation used when talking about fear is “Only Thing We Have to Fear Is Fear Itself”, the memorable sentence from FDR’s first inaugural address. Twain’s words put a positive spin on the importance of resisting fear in order to…
This past week I came across two excellent blog posts by Jone’ Carpenter, a cancer survivor. In the posts, the blogger spoke of her life after a summer 2010 diagnosis of breast cancer and her journey over the past 18 months. Although cancer has not touched my life, I can relate her story to my October 2008 heart attack, triple cardiac bypass surgery, subsequent recovery…
Apple butter is my favorite fruit spread for toast or pancakes. It also makes a nice addition to oatmeal. Several years back my cousins Linda and Joan introduced me to apple butter made in a slow cooker. This recipe is a combination of several recipes. I’ve played with the contents over time to come up with what I think is the perfect apple butter.
Six years ago I lay in an emergency room losing consciousness surrounded by nurses and doctors with alarms going crazy. I had experienced a mild heart attack and severely reacted to a nitroglycerin injection. This is how my 17 day hospital stay began in October 2005 that included a triple cardiac bypass and ten days in cardiac intensive care; most of them unconscious. To say…
Networking is hot today. It has moved way beyond idle chat and trading business cards at cocktail hours. The advent of social networks such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter has opened new networking venues. Networking is thriving in the bariatric community. I would argue that social networking is responsible for the very active and connected weight loss community.