We are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for.
This is a Maggie's group post. Assorted suggestions.
Doc Mercury used to post Christmas gadgets for us, but he's been AWOL for quite a while. However, nobody needs gadgets. Everybody needs less stuff and less clutter but if young, you can give the wife some gold or diamonds if she doesn't have enough yet. After all, she has had to put up with your many annoyances, shortcomings, sins, and worse.
If you have of-age daughters or even daughter-in-laws, Christmas is a good time to begin to unload unneeded family jewelry and heirlooms. Nobody is getting any younger.
Olde-tyme Yankees that we are, we believe in 1-2 presents per person after age 12. A book and a special item. Best Christmas presents I ever received? A 20 ga. single shot shotgun at age 12, and Aida at the Baths of Caracalla in adulthood.
- Got an exerciser in the family? Get them a medium-weight jump rope. (need to know their height). For the experienced, a speed rope or a 1 lb rope. The 1 lb. rope will kick anybody's butt after a minute or two.
- Anybody's husband or dad would love a wheel of Stilton. Pair it with a vintage port (and maybe a fancy cigar or two), and happy male. Williams-Sonoma no longer sells Stilton scoops, but you can google that item. Unfortunately, mostly via the UK.
- Give a wife or daughter a day at a day spa - hair do-over, facial, nails, massage - women love that stuff.
- Tickets: People love tickets. Ballet, theater, sports, opera, whatever. My brother always gave our parents 12 movie tix (their local theater had a movie/month package) to make sure they got out to a date night at the movies every month.
- We believe trips are great presents, whether a long weekend with theater, dinners, etc in NYC or a week in Spain. Guys or gals, give the spouse the trip that you want, and a voucher for unlimited vigorous sex as compensation for travel hassle.
3:7 John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
3:8 Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our ancestor'; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham.
3:9 Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."
3:10 And the crowds asked him, "What then should we do?"
3:11 In reply he said to them, "Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise."
3:12 Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, "Teacher, what should we do?"
3:13 He said to them, "Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you."
3:14 Soldiers also asked him, "And we, what should we do?" He said to them, "Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages."
3:15 As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah,
3:16 John answered all of them by saying, "I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
3:17 His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."
3:18 So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people.
You can go French with Bouche de Noel, or you can go Brit with Figgy Pudding. Are there any other choices? Oh yeah, Struffoli. I do not like that one even though it is Italian.
Struffoli:
Do not even try to make a Bouche. Order it from the bakery. They will make whatever size you want.
You’ll never know exactly what a translator has done. He [or she] reads with maniacal attention to nuance and cultural implication, conscious of all the books that stand behind this one; then sets out to rewrite this impossibly complex thing in his [or her] own language, re-elaborating everything, changing everything in order that it remain the same, or as close as possible to [the translator’s] own experience of the original. In every sentence the most loyal respect must combine with the most resourceful inventiveness. Imagine shifting the Tower of Pisa into downtown Manhattan and convincing everyone it’s in the right place; that’s the scale of the task.
I have warned about people who make New year resolutions to exercise but, in case you are one of those who do so, do me a favor and get a Stress Echo first if you are a male over 40 or in bad shape over 30, a post-menopausal woman, or anybody who fatigues with either extended activity or exertion.
A Stress Echo not only can identify heart issues before they appear in daily life, but can give you a metabolic physical stress tolerance baseline. Most Stress Echo protocols push you to your max unless you have prior identified cardio-pulmonary disease, so the attending cardiologist will be able to give you a thorough cardio fitness assessment and a numerical metabolic fitness level. (This test is required regularly for firemen, pilots, athletes, etc.) Serious fitness trainers also want an OK before pushing their clients hard.
"Donald Trump would not be facing any of this so-called legal jeopardy that he’s facing today had he never run for the presidency. And if he had lost, he wouldn’t be facing any of this. But this encompasses the Department of Justice. That’s the SDNY. U.S. attorney, Southern District New York, that’s the Department of Justice. Robert Mueller, special counsel, Department of Justice, the FBI, intelligence community, they are still unified, and they are working hand in hand to destroy Donald Trump. They will not stop.
If they have to destroy his business, they will. If they have to destroy his family, they will. They want to. They are pursuing Donald Trump with more fervor and energy than I have seen them pursue terrorists..
...I have seen people in the DOJ and the Obama DOJ have more solicitousness and more tolerance and more understanding for people who participated in 9/11 than they have for Donald Trump. It is flat-out amazing. And then you add to that group of people the entirety of the mainstream media, and I’ve never seen anything like this.
I was alive during the pursuit of Richard Nixon, and I’m telling you officially now that the pursuit of Richard Nixon pales in comparison to what is going on here."
Even if you are disgusted with Trump's personality, nobody should condone these political uses of government power. After all, it could be your guy next time - or you.
Aren't these two things in life we need to protect the most? Besides the future well-being of family, of course, but that's a want-to, not a need-to.
I protect my public reputation like a demon. Not because of morals so much as because my work and future depends on it. Morals too, I suppose. I have seen all too many people permanently damage their lives with just one error of judgement. Everybody talks...and few are forgiving.
Another reputational issue just has to do with a likable, engaging personality. As far as I can tell, there's not much anybody can do about that. An unpleasant or odd personality style is unfortunate in life.
When it comes to health/fitness/vigor, I can not claim to be a Maggie's paragon in that department. At this point, just an hour daily of no-intensity cardio for the past two months. Have to start somewhere, or not start at all. Flabby muscles are neither appealing nor functional.
Are you kidding? I view bread and crackers, etc., mainly as food delivery vehicles. Other than the rare sandwich, in an Italian restaurant I like hard-crust white bread soaked in olive oil with roasted garlic schmeared on top. I dislike other than white bread because other breads interfere with the flavors of the real food. Exception: Pastrami on rye.
A recovering Lefty claims that his ex-brethren consist mostly of malcontents who are sad or angry that reality is not as they wish it to be.
Instead of developing a relationship to God and a recognition of one’s own imperfection, we wanted our non-anarchist families and friends to develop their “analysis” and recognize their complicity in the evil of capitalism. These non-anarchist friends grew increasingly sparse the longer I was an anarchist. They didn’t see how terrible the world was, and they used problematic language that revealed hopelessly bad politics. Frustrated with them, I retreated further and further into the grey echo-chamber of my “chosen family.”
If you do, you are statistically almost certain to fail in an exercise program. If serious about it, you will begin today. Of course, January is when gyms make all their money and when they are busiest. By March, they have collected all those fees and are right back to their usual daily volume of people.
As they say, "Someday" is not one of the seven days of the week.
I want to say a few words about exercise goals because it only makes sense to define, or re-define, exercise goals. I don't mean specific goals, like being able to bench press 300 lbs, or to run 10 miles at a 7.5 mph pace. I mean general goals. Your goals will determine your program.
For examples:
- Specific goals, like the two I mentioned above, require very specific training approaches designed by experts.
- Weight loss: Forget exercise. Eat right and body fat will melt away. Some cardio might help prime the pump, but not necessary.
- Psychological goals. Any form of daily exertion (not walking) is excellent for mental attitude.
- Body-building. This requires a specific sort of program to look buff. Focus a lot on isolated muscles. It's not functional so much as an aesthetic. I think it's silly, but to each his or her own.
- Strength training. This entails 4 days/week of heavy weights, powerlifts, with some accessory weight exercises.
- General conditioning for out of shape people. This is the bread and butter of professional trainers, and in some ways the most rewarding for them because these people, if dedicated, can make the most dramatic progress because they have so far to go. I have seen schlubby people make remarkable changes in one or two years. Including grandmas.
- "Functional fitness". This is the goal for most people aged 30-80, and why Crossfit is so popular. This is about building or even just maintaining strength, agility, balance, power, appearance, endurance, speed, athleticism, etc. for a vigorous life. All that is a lot to ask for, which is why we feel it takes 6-7 hours/week. It won't make you a marathoner or an impressive lifter, but should make you ready for anything life offers - especially sports and recreation.
The Maggie's Fitness For Life (where is that TM thing?) is for Functional Fitness. We sometimes have good ideas for conditioning, but once basic conditioning is achieved (ie fat control, ability to participate in exercise classes, ability to jog a mile, basic hand weights and cables) is where our ideas come into play. Calisthenics, Heavy weights, HIIT and Endurance Cardio.
Via Insty, 
Survey reveals 
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