Six Pack Abs

Spo, one of my favorite bloggers posted today about his wish to have a flat stomach and posses six pack abs.


The Jersey Shore star Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino has made the seemingly unattainable "six pack abs" the goal of many men.  Who wouldn't want a Six Pack? Heck, most men would just settle for a flat stomach.  


My friend Spo expressed that he would probably never posses a flat stomach.  Well, I'm here to tell my friend Spo and every other man who would like to have a flat stomach that it is indeed possible.  


I have always had a flat stomach.  Back in the Seventies and Eighties, when I used to lift weights.  I even developed the elusive six pack abs.  See below photo of me taken in Provincetown in 1974:

Me on Herring Cove Beach, Provincetown, Mass. 1974

Friends, it is not impossible to have a flat stomach.  If I can do it, anyone can.  Here are a few things to remember if you want to posses a flat stomach:

• Walk a lot
• Do not drink beer
• Walk a lot
• Do not drink liquor
• Walk a lot
• Do not eat ice cream
• Walk a lot
• Do not eat bread
• Walk a lot
• Do not drink whole milk (2% or less)
• Walk a lot
• Use sugar in moderation
• Walk a lot
• Do not drink coffee
• Walk a lot
• Do not eat candy
• 
  

Follow these rules and you WILL have a flat stomach.  Seriously folks, it is that easy.

As proof, I took these pictures of my stomach this morning.  I am now 69 years old.  I have followed the above rules all my life.  While I don't have the defined six pack abs now (I no longer lift weights), I still have a flat stomach.  I'm not bragging, just stating a fact.  Well, maybe I am bragging. 

I wouldn't be truthful if I didn't say that the years have taken their toll. While I still have the same weight as I did when I graduated from high school, 160 pounds, my waist has increased from 31 inches to 32 inches.  My weight has shifted.  Gravity is taking its toll.  

One thing I would emphasize though is that one has to be constantly vigilant about eating habits and exercise.  If I wrote a weight loss book, it would only contain four words:

EAT LESS

MOVE MORE

So there you go friends and readers of this blog, I have just supplied you with the ONLY information you need to have a flat stomach.  

Why not six pack abs?  At my age, it isn't worth the effort because it does take a lot of work.  Lifting weights defines your stomach muscles.  If you're on the prowl and/or going to the beach, it would be worth the effort.  But me?  I'm an old man now.  I am no longer on the prowl and I don't go to the beach.  Even if I did posses six pack abs, no one would see them except me unless I walked around without my shirt off, which I don't.  

However, I will keep my flat stomach.  If for nothing else than my own self esteem.  Plus it doesn't feel too bad either when I attend my high school class reunions.  

Go for it guys!

Virtual Vietnam Wall

Another of life’s humbling experiences….names and people once known who sacrificed all for us!!

Vietnam Wall

First click on a state.  When it opens, scroll down to the city and the names will appear.  Then click on their names.  It should show you a picture of the person, or at least their bio and medals.

This really is an amazing web site.  Someone spent a lot of time and effort to create it.

I hope that everyone who receives this appreciates what those who served in Vietnam sacrificed for our country.

The link below is a virtual wall of all those lost during the Vietnam war with the names, bio's and other information on our lost heroes  Those who remember that time frame, or perhaps lost friends or family can look them up on this site.  Pass the link on to others, as many knew wonderful people whose names are listed.

Link to Virtual Vietnam Wall

I checked the wall and under Downingtown, PA is my former classmate from Downingtown High School Class of 1959.  His name was Kenny Van Lew.  I did not know he died in Vietnam when I attended my 20th and first class reunion in 1979.  I wanted to kid him about the schoolboy fight we got into outside Mrs. Rodgers's Science class.  We both ended up in the principal's office and had to explain ourselves.  When one of my classmates told me that Kenny had died in Viet Nam I felt a sense of guilt.  I don't know exactly why but I did feel a sense of uneasiness.  Maybe it was because I knew in my heart that Vietnam was a useless war only fought to save face for our political leaders in this country.  I am sorry that Kenny lost his life but I value his sacrifice for our country.  

Rest in peace Kenny.  I'll see you again sometime and we'll talk about that "fight."

OSU Sousaphone player dots the cameraman (12 Sep. 2009)

This is a funny video of the Sousaphone player dotting the "i" in the Ohio while performing Scrip Ohio for the Ohio State marching band.


It is interesting that the young man is majoring in hospitality and started to play the Sousaphone in ninth grade just so he could work up to "dotting the i" when he went to college at Ohio State.  Just by coincidence I also work in hospitality management (my part-time job in retirement is hotel front desk clerk) and I also started to play the Sousaphone in ninth grade.  The only difference was that I played in my high school (Downingtown High School) marching band in the Fifties, way before Ohio Script.  


Oh how I wish I could "dot the i"!  Do you think that Ohio State would make an exception for an old, former Sousaphone player?  Just think of the human interest angle.  At least I wouldn't "dot" the cameraman.

Me in 1958 just before we're ready to march out onto the field.  We didn't have a Drum Major but a Drum Majorette.  Her name was Sandy Hamilton and she is the blur to my left.  Fond memories.

"Script Ohio"

As a former marching band member in high school and a Sousaphone player, I found this video of the Best Damn Band in the Land totally awesome!

Sure!  I could kick my legs up that high!

Christmas = Family

As you all probably know, I have no trouble coming up with subjects for my blog postings.  I try to keep my postings positive, upbeat and happy.  But sometimes this is hard to do because of the constant state of crises or near crises that we all live in these days.

The past several days I have been very upset over what I see as he impending cave in by Obama to the Republican demands to extend the Bush tax cuts for the very rich.  I wanted to write a blog about my profound disappointment in Obama in the weakness that he has constantly shown in his dealings with the Republicans.  But I hesitated because do I really want to add on all that angst here in this wonderful holiday season?  Others are doing it already.

Then there is the subject of the repeal of the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy of excluding gays from the military.  I wanted to write about the Angry Old Man of the right whose hatred of Obama is so intense that he is totally out of touch with reality that he is threatening to filibuster any vote to repeal this ridiculous, unfair and discriminatory 17 year old law.  Of course I am speaking about John McCain.  This man literally makes me gag when I see his face appear on television and when he speaks.  Do I really want to vent my disgust (war hero or not) against this Angry Old "Get Off My Lawn!" Man?  Others are doing it already.

Then there is the subject of Wikileaks, where Julian Assange has released hundreds of thousands of State Department documents thus embarrassing the United States government.  Now we're all hearing how this is threatening the lives of our service members and state department employees and others in foreign lands who cooperate with our State Department.  Mike Huckabee, the former governor or Arkansas and future presidential candidate is calling for the death penalty for Julian Assange.  Funny, I don't remember the likes of Huckabee calling for the death penalty for former Vice President Cheney or Karl Rove when they outed Wilson's wife as a CIA agent.  Where was the outrage then?   Do I really want to pile on my outrage against this obvious double standard?  Others are doing it already.

No, what I'll do in this blog posting is express my appreciation for the fine people I work with at the hotel where I work part-time.  Pictured on this blog is my boss (the young man lying on the floor and yes, he is young enough to be my grandson) and his family - his wife and daughter and his parents.  This to me is what Christmas is all about, families.

Merry Christmas Mike and family!

Thinking of Mom This Christmas

Giving Mom a Big Hug to make up for all those hugs she missed growing up by not having a mother

I thought I had reconciled myself to losing my Mom this past September 16th.  However, this Christmas season has brought back the depth of the loss all over again.  


Christmas season was always my Mom's time of the year.  Her birthday was on December 24th.  On of my earliest memories is of my Mom asking me not to combine her Christmas presents with her birthday presents.  Which is ironic because she never wanted me to buy her presents anyway.  


But each year I would buy her many Christmas presents and a birthday present.  I would always make sure to wrap her birthday present in birthday wrapping paper.  None of this taking a short cut and pulling out one of her Christmas presents, wrapped in Christmas wrapping paper, and saying "Here, this ONE is for your birthday."


A few weeks ago I was strolling around the Dover Shopping Mall while I was waiting for a satellite radio to be installed in my new Subaru at the dealer in Dover.  I usually migrate to J. C. Penney whenever I'm in a mall and this time was no exception.  So there I am wandering through the Ladies section looking for a new warm bathrobe or nightgown for Mom.  I always made sure to get her a nightgown that didn't have one of those lace trim collars.  She said they irritated her neck.  She also didn't want a nightgown with a plunging neckline because she said she could keep warm with her top half exposed.  Do you know how hard it is to find such a nightgown?  It's hard, believe me.  Thus this was my annual challenge which I didn't mind at all because it was for my Mom.  


So here I was, making the rounds through the aisles of the Women's department of J.C. Penney when I was jolted back into reality that my Mom is no longer here.  This is hard for me.  This is the first time in my adult life that I am not Christmas shopping for my Mom.


Many years ago I opted out of the Mandatory Christmas Shopping ritual.  The only person I continued to shop for was my Mom.  She told me over and over again "Don't buy me anything this year Ronnie because I don't need anything."  Of course I always ignored her plea because this was my Mom after all.  


Now I think of all those sweaters, nightgowns, bathrobes, jewelry, and other items that I bought for Mom that is now at Goodwill and the Salvation Army.  The only things my brothers and I didn't give to charity that was my Mom's jewelry.  That I will distribute to her nieces and grandnieces this spring when Bill and I visit South Carolina where they live.  


I was feeling pretty sad after my visit to the mall so I called my brothers John and Isaac and told them.  They told me they had similar feelings.  Something would remind them of Mom and then they would realize how much they missed her.  She was such a part of our lives, much more so than our father ever was.


Mom lived with Isaac at her home for ten years until she moved to John's place in South Carolina last October.  John used to look forward to coming home and stopping in and spending time with Mom.  Over the last thirty years or so he had seen or spent little time with her since he moved to Greenville, SC.  Although Mom needed more care, John was appreciative that he could spend this time with her.  He had almost a year with Mom.  Now he says when he comes home and sees the empty room where she used to stay, he feels so sad.  Probably sadder than he would have been if she hadn't moved in with him at all.


I guess there will be other times when it hits us especially hard that Mom isn't around anymore.  This season seems to be the hardest though.  

Mom and her Boys 2005

Rain Day

My rain slicked deck this morning

Rain day today!


I love the sun.  I love sunny days.  But occasionally we get a rainy day like today.  I love rain days too!


If I lived in Seattle or the Great Northwest, where it rains most of the time and the sunny day is a rare occurrence, maybe I wouldn't feel this way about rainy days.  


If I lived in Londan, England where gray skies, fog and rain are the norm perhaps I wouldn't be so fond of rainy days either.  But I don't live where the weather is rainy most of the time.  I live on the eastern coast of the Delmarva peninsula where we have a lot of sunny, dry days.  Thus, when we get a rainy day like today I welcome it.


Today I was scheduled for an appointment with my dermatologist in Pennsylvania.  I canceled the appointment yesterday because I don't like to travel in the rain.  I don't like to travel at night or in the rain.......or in the snow. But I do like to hang out here in my cozy nest that is my home.


This is my schedule for today:

• Update my Shutterfly pictures (dates and descriptions) for reproduction of prints for Christmas gifts
• Update my blog (which I am doing now)
• Vacuum the whole first floor (no excuse now not to vacuum)
• Put Christmas candles in the front windows of the house to complete my Christmas decorations
• Prepare a lunch of Frito Lay Blazing Buffalo chips and turkey salad sandwich
• After lunch lie down in my bed and read a bit ("Hollywood Beauty - Hedy Lamarr) 
• Drift off to sleep for my afternoon nap
• Get up about 4 pm and check my e-mail and the latest news
• Watch my previously recorded "Judge Judy" episodes
• Prepare a dinner of Caesar Salad, oven fry potatoes (with skins) and chicken pot pie
• Watch MSNBC evening lineup shows of: Dylan Rattigan, Chris Matthews, Ed Schultz, Keith Olbermann, Rachel Maddow, and Lawrence O'Donnell 
• Bedtime 

That is my schedule for today.  Tomorrow it will be different because I go to work at the hotel.  Each day is different.  But that is one thing I love about being retired.  I can do whatever I want to do.  


I often think of all those years (since 1954) that I had to go to school, three years in the Army, and then over 40 years on the corporate hamster wheel.  All those days I HAD TO get up early to catch the train to go to work in Philadelphia at the bank. 


I looked forward to the day that my life would be my own.


I looked forward to the day when I could sleep as late as I wanted to.


I looked forward to the day when my life was my own.


I looked forward to the day when I have the freedom that I have now.


I love it!