Fireworks, 2nd try...

In 2012, I made my first effort at fireworks photography.  I was pleased, but the photos could have been better. 

In 2013, I think I improved.  There is still improvement needed to do to get those perfect shots, but for 2013 I spent the week before thinking about where to shoot, and what background and foreground would be best.  I made a decision and waited for good weather.  I think it was a good location, although the lake was so filled with scum that the reflection was not as good as I desired. 

Below are some examples of my efforts.

The entire spectrum of shots is on the Flickr page. I am really enjoying the photo experience. I look at things differently and see things I did not see before as I look globally—not world-like globally, but at the details in the subject, the foreground, and the background. Visualize how the three's contrast, composition, and relationship make the ideal photo. I hope I can improve for 2014. That is always the best goal we can have in life. Improve and be happy with the progress.

So, I am looking forward to spending a great deal of Friday on the Superior Trail 100 mile using my newfound visualization skills to see what improvements I can make in using the subject, foreground, and background to tell the story in a snapshot. I hope to succeed, but if not, the journey is wonderful!

Carry on my friends...

Exercise emotions...

Do you know that sting of guilt when you have scheduled a workout (riding a bike to work) but do not follow through because your mind says, “YOU ARE TIRED”? A temporary feeling of guilt is a common sentiment that we all have when we plan to exercise but then lose our motivation or something gets in the way of our training schedule. However, it is not as easy for some people to move on from this guilty conscience or skip exercising altogether for a day or two. You might have heard a friend referring to someone who is “addicted” to exercising or is entirely “dependent” on working out for several hours every day. 

 
Parents, peers, the media, and the scientific literature relentlessly preach that exercising is good for our bodies and minds. However, it is rarely mentioned that exercise behavior can be unhealthy when it becomes a compulsive habit. I know people who would believe life is over if they did not start the day with a 10K or some other form of exercise, then walk another form at lunch, followed by an evening effort. I have been there, and my mind tells me I am still there, but my body is close to 51 says something entirely different.

Things are different, like my right knee and the past pain. I was sure it would flair up after my 29th consecutive grandma’s marathon and be very painful. I was wrong. In fact, after a few days, the entire body felt great. However, I continued to let the body heal. After three weeks of rest, I go on three 50-mile bike rides in 8 days and throw in a few 36-mile rides there, and the right knee pain is high. Makes no sense to me. Is it a delayed reaction from the marathon? There are too many bike miles too soon. Either way, it is frustrating when the mind says, “You are doing great,” and the body says get some crutches and stay in bed. 

Could it be that I need the exercise to keep the body functioning? Could it be that I am pushing too hard and then crash, a binge-and-purge exercise approach? Could this be more than an off-beat exercise addiction? I am not sure, but I have had too long without the positive energy from a regular workout, and the body is just being a pain, literally! So, could it be that I need to regroup and stop having that “I need to get that done or else” attitude? That will be hard! 

Don’t get me wrong. This surely is a “positive addiction” to exercising, meaning that the exercise routine can easily be included in daily life and leaves space for commitments to family, friends, work, and personal time. However, one has to be aware that there is a fine line between a healthy commitment to exercising and a perceived obligation and compulsion to fulfill a certain training regimen.

So, what I learned from this blog entry is a paradox: exercise, which has the reputation of being exclusively beneficial for our mental and physical health, can have the opposite effect if it is done in excess, and this holds true both for recreational and top athletes. To conclude, we should learn from Hippocrates, who acknowledged that “if we could give every individual the right amount of exercise, not too little and not too much, we would have found the safest way to health.”

 

Carry On…

G.M.O.

GMO…

Government Managing Office? No, it has something to do with the government, but not that agency. General Molly, INC (Stock selling for about $1.70 a share)?  They are in the business of exploring, developing, and mining molybdenum properties.

Most foods we eat may contain ingredients derived from genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Are Genetically Modified (GM) foods safe or harmful? While regulatory authorities have approved GM food on the market, some people are concerned that there is a risk of harm. If you live in Europe, avoiding GM foods is easier since laws require labeling. In the US and Canada, however, food manufacturers are not required to label whether their food is genetically modified.   Is it a coincidence that obesity is less of an issue outside the US and Canada?

I do not have a scientific background.  Most of my knowledge is based on real-life experience.  The more I think about GMOs, the more I think about my grandfather.  He was healthy and lived short of being a 100-year-old man.  He only ate a little processed food.  Raised his food.  He had chicken, cows, and pork and raised them on grass, not chemicals.  He had a 1-acre garden, and Grandma canned extensively.  Very few GMOs or processed foods are available for them.  Made his own Ice Cream!  

Then, I think of my mom’s side of the family.  Generally, they ate out or ate processed food extensively.  Neither made it past 70 years old and had many health problems. 

I have spent much time since April 13, 2013, monitoring what food goes into my body.  I read labels and took the time to Google some complex words on some labels.  Here are some examples and the information I found:

We have Coloring agents (blue 1, blue 2, yellow 5, and yellow 6) in most 
cakes, candy, macaroni and cheese, medicines, sports drinks, soda, pet food, and cheese.  
The US allows this as we eat with our eyes. Recent studies have shown that when food manufacturers left foods in their natural, often beige-like color instead of coloring them with these chemical agents, individuals thought they tasted bland and ate less, even when the recipe wasn't altered.

The Health Hazards of coloring agents, which are made from coal tar, are also used to seal-coat products to preserve and protect the shine of industrial floors and in head lice shampoos to kill off the small bugs. Yes, we eat it!

We also have Olestra (aka Olean).  Never knew this nut then realized it is most common 
Fat-free potato chips
.  The US allows this as Procter & Gamble Co. took a quarter century and spent half a billion dollars to create “light” chips that are supposedly better for you.  Lobbyist work? They may need another half a billion bucks to figure out how to deal with the embarrassing bathroom side effects (including oily anal leakage) that come with consuming these products.
  The known health hazard is that the fat substitutes appear to cause a dramatic depletion of fat-soluble vitamins and arytenoids, robbing us of vital micro-nutrients.  " The U.K. and Canada, have banned it..

I was surprised to learn what Bronated vegetable oil (aka BVO) is, and it is found 
in sports drinks and citrus-flavored sodas.  The US allows this as it 
acts as an emulsifier, preventing the flavoring from separating and floating to the surface of beverages.  It is a health hazard as it competes with iodine for receptor sites in the body. Elevated levels of the stuff may lead to thyroid issues, such as hypothyroidism, autoimmune disease, and cancer.  That's not all. BVO's main ingredient, bromine, is a poisonous chemical considered both corrosive and toxic. It's been linked to significant organ system damage, birth defects, growth problems, schizophrenia, and hearing loss, which explains why it's been nixed in more than 100 countries.

I once thought potassium was always good on a label; then I read about Potassium bromated (aka brominated flour)
.  This is common in rolls, wraps, flatbreads, bread crumbs, and bagel chips
.  The US allows this flour-bulking agent to help strengthen dough, reducing the time needed for baking and resulting in lower costs.  What health hazard does it have?   It is made with the same toxic chemical found in BVO (bromine). This additive has been associated with kidney and nervous system disorders as well as gastrointestinal discomfort.

I had to check Azodicarbonamide
 twice…  This includes breads, frozen dinners, boxed pasta mixes, and packaged baked goods.  While most countries wait a week for flour to naturally whiten, American food processors prefer to use this chemical to bleach the flour ASAP.
  I read this item was so bad, and banning this product in Singapore is not enough. You can get up to 15 years in prison and be penalized nearly half a million dollars in fines for using this chemical linked to asthma and primarily used in foamed plastics, like yoga mats and sneaker soles.

There are so many more.  Makes me think twice, well, five or more times about the food I purchase and stuff into this overweight and unhealthy person-years of preservatives created.  Do you read the labels?

Carry on, my friends.