Cool health tool

Caloriesperhour.com

This site has several tools to calculate calories in food, calories expended via exercise and how many calories you need to lose xx amount of weight and how long it takes.

Stop brain rot

I always knew from the Nun Study that education helped keep your brain fit, but now, according to this Washington Post article, you may just need those video games to keep your brain in tiptop shape.

Do your cardio, then your video.

Potty parity uproar

Yes, in 1995, we thought Irene Treppler was the most ridiculed woman in the state of Missouri. Everyone chuckled under their breath when the Savvis Center was built and this was mentioned.

Today's St. Louis Post-Dispatch article

Now, we find out that the new Busch Stadium is in violation of the Missouri 'Potty Parity' law.

Whoops!

My other life

I like to wear a lot of hats, even if they're only imaginary.

When I'm not looking for material for this blog, I'm busying digging, sorting and assembling for my other blog, stbonifaceonline. It has been a labor of love that lead me back here, to a blog that I had long neglected. It's got history, art, and links to what's going on in the world and what might appeal to you if you're Catholic, or interested in Roman Catholicism.

Check it out.

P.S. Happy Birthday Cake, Daddy! :)

Do you bank online? Know D Facts...

I ran into a very interesting article on MSNBC this morning during my regular news perusal. In Ask the Consumer Man with Herb Weisbaum, Herb answered questions about how many transactions you can complete online. One institution listed in the article charges over the limit fees and if you continue, they can close your account.

To learn more about Regulation D, see this BankersOnline.com article.

Fight the couch potato syndrome and win

I have been reading a lot in my child psychology class lately. Oh, the dangers of TV and inactivity!

So far, I have been lucky that my child does not enjoy being a couch potato. He is constantly running, here, there and everywhere. Recently, he takes a ball with him outside and he proceeds to kick it down the hill in our yard and run after it, and he will do this for as long as possible. Surprisingly, for a three-year-old, he is demonstrating some good skills dribbling the ball.

What's the secret to get your kids up and running? Make it easy for them to do it. If they're not big enough to go in the backyard by themselves, take them out. Make it a ritual that they look forward to doing each day. We don't have a lot of time, but a few minutes here and there really makes a difference.

Luckily, I've discovered that there are certain things my son likes to do with me. He likes to help cook, especially when I'm baking something. Last night, as I made carrot cake and pumpkin bars, I enlisted his help. While you really need to watch small children in the kitchen, let them do things which you can easily oversee, like adding ingredients and stirring batter in a large bowl with plenty of room for overspill. They have fun, work on those motor skills, and learn about processes and how they make things work.

Just remember to keep an eye on them, so they don't end up IN the bowl, since that batter can taste really good! Good things will come to those who wait for the oven.

Condi Rice accepts apology re: St. Louis radio brohaha

The latest on this issue.

Child is no longer has Where the Red Fern Grows in heavy rotation on the DVD player, so maybe this is a good thing. On to the next animal movie, Cats and Dogs.

It's not as good as WTRFG.

End of story...NDHS saga terminated

...just like some of those teachers. What a shame. I have a life to live unlike some of these other people.

Monday is a new week. On to more mundane, yet fun topics, such as adventures in potty training a three-year-old who has more energy than a barrel of monkeys.

On y va...

Here's my followup e-mail to NDHS 98 (names concealed for privacy) today, since she was not my anonymous 416 caller Friday:

Subject: Re: Go Nd Girls (a/k/a the mystery e-mail some alums received)

Thanks for the info. Someone called me Friday.

I did not author the Go ND Girls e-mail, nor do I know who did.

I chose to deal directly with SSND province. I am satisfied with the prompt
response I received from the sisters there, and I have passed this along to
others.

It would be nice if others would do the same.

More interesting Notre Dame High School items

Now, I received an e-mail from a 1998 graduate. No news if this is the "anonymous" caller.

NDHS alum? You'd better read this....

I found out a few weeks ago that the rumored changes in the works for my alma mater, Notre Dame High School in beautiful downtown Lemay, are being implemented.

The official word from NDHS.

Mysteriously, one person I know got a Yahoo! e-mail. I read the entire thing. While it was from a Yahoo! account, I take that opinion (of the person who forwarded this to me) as being of reasonably sound mind, and it looked reasonably coherent to me.

Here's the important part of the text that I received:

"Now that you have the information you need, let's stand together as alumnae to support the Notre Dame community."

NOTE: Also included were e-mail addresses and phone numbers for ND provincials, the ND president and principal, as well as the school's mailing address, which you can also get from the web site listed in the link above. Lo and behold, I forwarded it to some folks I know with the following:

"If you know of any friends, children, nieces, grandchildren who went to
Notre Dame High School, please forward this message along to them."

OK. Sounds simple enough if you can read. You choose to forward it or not.

I am a natural skeptic, so I checked it out myself. I am confident that others will do the same. I ask about the contents by e-mailing one of the ND provincials listed at the bottom. I get a quick answer. Ok, fine by me, so I think.

Now suddenly today at 416PM, an anonymous "parent" (obviously a woman) leaves me a strange voicemail that "I am wrong".

Questions I throw out there for you, Ms. "Anonymous":

What is wrong with forwarding something after reading it?
Why on earth are you cold-calling me?
Why didn't ND send out their OWN e-mail? They do have my e-mail address.

Anyway, we'll see what happens next. She mentioned she might call back.

It's FRIDAY!

No work until Monday....and that's just not long enough! Where are those three day weekends!

We're planning to do a few things this weekend, and one of the things I want to do is veg for a couple of hours. It's always my goal, but passing out in front of the TV inadvertently does not count.

What a week it's been. I found out my friend is pregnant. That now makes two of my high school friends who are currently pregnant. They are both due during the busy, baby season (at least that's what the nurse at the hospital told me once..) of August and September. It should certainly make fall more interesting.

It's just too bad that you can't give a gift certificate for things like uninterrupted sleep, automatically clean homes, or a child who sleeps through the night. Those would be bestsellers!

I have discovered that my son really likes to talk to me on the phone. I just wish there was a Three-Year-Old Phone Translator module I could add to my phone. He gets off on so many tangents and does not speak into the phone that it makes holding conversations really nuts. The child is now watching Where the Red Fern Grows over and over.

To top this off, I have to remember to tell him not to call it "the 'coon movie"(about raccoons, those little masked mammal trash can bandits of the suburbs) since there has been a big brouhaha here on St. Louis radio about a personality mistakenly saying this while discussing Condolezza Rice. Consequently, he apologized and still lost his job. He's also on leave from his other job.

So, honey, just say it's the Dan and Ann movie and no one will care.

I'm just a regular joe...

You Are a Plain Ole Cup of Joe

But don't think plain - instead think, uncomplicated You're a low maintenance kind of girl... who can hang with the guys Down to earth, easy going, and fun! Yup, that's you: the friend everyone invites. And your dependable too. Both for a laugh and a sympathetic ear.

What Kind of Coffee Are You?

Thanks Vicki for this cool quiz.

And it's the weekend!

After my day off yesterday started with an Irish 'breakfast' of Tullamore Dew and coffee cake, courtesy of the Irish priest, I headed about in a flurry of activity.

In the evening, I went out with my husband and son for a St. Pat's dinner. It was great, with Irish stew, corned beef and cabbage, and a scallop bake and the prerequisite soda bread. I made a pound cake with strawberries and whipped cream, and Jeff and Rachel's neighbor made a berry cobbler.

After several glasses of red wine and engaging conversation, Bubba (not his real name) told us it was time to go home (a first for him!) and we headed home. I had to convince him to go to sleep at 1030. Something worked because I fell asleep first!

I woke up late today and everything was a blur, running errands and cleaning the house. While driving around town, I heard a few Go-Gos tunes. It makes me want to look for a bass guitar to take lessons (Head over Heels has a great bass guitar solo in it). Nevertheless, now I'm relaxing by backing up my external hard drive to DVD and playing with Photoshop.

Here's an interesting joke I found while meandering around the blogosphere. Enjoy the rest of the weekend!

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Beannachtai na Feile Padraig! Happy St. Patrick's Day!
(PRONOUNCED:ban/ocked/tee nah fail/eh pawd/rig)

Enjoy your day, and if you feel like it, raise a pint of Guinness. It just may be good for you.

If I were a tree...

Another one from PK. BTW I am a fig, my husband is hazelnut and my son is an elm.

Find your birthday and then find your tree. Then send it to your friends, including the one that sent it to you, so they can find out what tree they fell from, but don't forget to change the subject line to your tree.

Find your birthday below and see what tree you are like...

Jan 01 to Jan 11 - Fir Tree

Jan 12 to Jan 24 - Elm Tree

Jan 25 to Feb 03 - CypressTree

Feb 04 to Feb 08 - Poplar Tree

Feb 09 to Feb 18 - Cedar Tree

Feb 19 to Feb 28 - Pine Tree

Mar 01 to Mar 10 - Weeping Willow Tree

Mar 11 to Mar 20 - Lime Tree

Mar 21 (only) - Oak Tree

Mar 22 to Mar 31 - Hazelnut Tree

Apr 01 to Apr 10 - Rowan Tree

Apr 11 to Apr 20 - Maple Tree

Apr 21 to Apr 30 - Walnut Tree

May 01 to May 14 - Poplar Tree

May 15 to May 24 - Chestnut Tree

May 25 to Jun 03 - Ash Tree

Jun 04 to Jun 13 - Hornbeam Tree

Jun 14 to Jun 23 - Fig Tree

Jun 24 (only) - Birch Tree

Jun 25 to Jul 04 - Apple Tree

Jul 05 to Jul 14 - Fir Tree

Jul 15 to Jul 25 - Elm Tree

Jul 26 to Aug 04 - CypressTree

Aug 05 to Aug 13 - Poplar Tree

Aug 14 to Aug 23 - Cedar Tree

Aug 24 to Sep 02 - Pine Tree

Sep 03 to Sep 12 - Weeping WillowTree

Sep 13 to Sep 22 - Lime Tree

Sep 23 (only) - Olive Tree

Sep 24 to Oct 03 - Hazelnut Tree

Oct 04 to Oct 13 - Rowan Tree

Oct 14 to Oct 23 - Maple Tree

Oct 24 to Nov 11 - Walnut Tree

Nov 12 to Nov 21 - Chestnut Tree

Nov 22 to Dec 01 - Ash Tree

Dec 02 to Dec 11 - Hornbeam Tree

Dec 12 to Dec 21 - Fig Tree

Dec 22 (only) - Beech Tree

Dec 23 to Jan 01 - Apple Tree

TREES (in alphabetical order)

Apple Tree(Love) -- quiet and shy at times, lots of charm, appeal, and attraction, pleasant attitude, flirtatious smile, adventurous, sensitive, loyal in love, wants to love and be loved, faithful and tender partner, very generous, many talents, loves children, needs affectionate partner.

Ash Tree (Ambition) -- extremely attractive, vivacious, impulsive, demanding, does not care for criticism, ambitious, intelligent, talented, likes to play with fate, can be very egotistic, reliable, restless lover, sometimes money rules over the heart, demands attention, needs love and much emotional support.

Beech Tree (Creative) -- has good taste, concerned about its looks, materialistic, good organization of life and career, economical, good leader, takes no unnecessary risks, reasonable, splendid lifetime companion, keen on keeping fit (diets, sports, etc.).

Birch Tree (Inspiration) -- vivacious, attractive, elegant,friendly, unpretentious, modest, does not like anything in excess, abhors the vulgar, loves life in nature and in calm, not very passionate, full of imagination, little ambition, creates a calm and content atmosphere.

Cedar Tree (Confidence) -- of rare strength, knows how to adapt, likes unexpected presents, of good health, not in the least shy, tends to look down on others, self-confident, a great speaker, determined, often impatient, likes to impress others, has many talents, industrious, healthy optimism, waits for the one true love, able to make quick decisions.

Chestnut Tree (Honesty) -- of unusual stature, impressive, well-developed sense of justice, fun to be around, a planner, born diplomat, can be irritated easily, sensitive of others feelings, hard worker, sometimes acts superior, feels not understood at times, fiercely family oriented, very loyal in love, physically fit.

Cypress Tree (Faithfulness) -- strong, muscular, adaptable, takes what life has to give but doesn't necessarily like it, strives to be content, optimistic, wants to be financially independent, wants love and affection, hates loneliness, passionate lover which cannot be satisfied, faithful, quick-tempered at times, can be unruly and careless, loves to gain knowledge, needs to be needed.

Elm Tree (Noble-mindedness) -- pleasant shape, tasteful clothes, modest demands, tends not to forgive mistakes, cheerful, likes to lead but not to obey, honest and faithful partner, likes making decisions for others, noble-minded, generous, good sense of humor, practical.

Fig Tree (Sensibility) -- very strong minded, a bit self-willed, honest, loyal, independent, hates contradiction or arguments, hard worker when wants to be, loves life and friends, enjoys children and animals, sexually oriented, great sense of humor, has artistic talent and great intelligence.

Fir tree (Mysterious) -- extraordinary taste, handles stress well, loves anything beautiful, stubborn, tends to care for those close to them, hard to trust others, yet a social butterfly, likes idleness and laziness after long demanding hours at work, rather modest, talented, unselfish, many friends, very reliable.

Hazelnut Tree(Extraordinary) -- charming, sense of humor, very demanding but can also be very understanding, knows how to make a lasting impression, active fighter for social causes and politics, popular, quite moody, sexually oriented, honest, a perfectionist, has a precise sense of judgment and expects complete fairness.

Hornbeam Tree (Good Taste) -- of cool beauty, cares for its looks and condition, good taste, is not egoistic, makes life as comfortable as possible, leads a reasonable and disciplined life, looks for kindness and acknowledgment in an emotional partner, dreams of unusual lovers, is seldom happy with its feelings, mistrusts most people, is never sure of its decisions, very conscientious.

Lime Tree (Doubt) - intelligent, hard working, accepts what life dishes out, but not before trying to change bad circumstances into good ones, hates fighting and stress, enjoys getaway vacations, may appear tough, but is actually soft and relenting, always willing to make sacrifices for family and friends, has many talents but not always enough time to use them, great leadership qualities, is jealous at times but extremely loyal.

Maple Tree (Independence of Mind) -- no ordinary person, full of imagination and originality, shy and reserved, ambitious, proud, self-confident, hungers for new experiences, sometimes nervous, has many complexities, good memory, learns easily, complicated love life, wants to impress.

Oak Tree (Brave) -- robust nature, courageous, strong, unrelenting, independent, sensible, does not like change, keeps its feet on the ground, person of action.

Olive Tree (Wisdom) -- loves sun, warmth and kind feelings, reasonable, balanced, avoids aggression and violence, tolerant, cheerful, calm, well-developed sense of justice, sensitive, empathetic, free of jealousy, loves to read and the company of sophisticated people.

Pine Tree (Peacemaker) -- loves agreeable company, craves peace and harmony, loves to help others, active imagination, likes to write poetry, not fashion conscious, great compassion, friendly to all, falls strongly in love but will leave if betrayed or lied to, emotionally soft, low self esteem, needs affection and reassurance.

Poplar Tree (Uncertainty) -- looks very decorative, talented, not very self-confident, extremely courageous if necessary, needs goodwill and pleasant surroundings, very choosy, often lonely, great animosity, great artistic nature, good organizer, tends to lean toward philosophy, reliable in any situation, takes partnership seriously.

Rowan Tree (Sensitivity) -- full of charm, cheerful, gifted without egoism, likes to draw attention, loves life, motion, unrest, and even complications, is both dependent and independent, good taste, artistic, passionate, emotional, good company, does not forgive.

Walnut Tree (Passion) -- unrelenting, strange and full of contrasts, often egotistic, aggressive, noble, broad horizon, unexpected reactions, spontaneous, unlimited ambition, no flexibility, difficult and uncommon partner, not always liked but often admired, ingenious strategist, very jealous and passionate, no compromise.

Weeping Willow (Melancholy) - likes to be stress free, loves family life, full of hopes and dreams, attractive, very empathetic, loves anything beautiful, musically inclined, loves to travel to exotic places, restless, capricious, honest, can be influenced but is not easy to live with when pressured, sometimes demanding, good intuition, suffers in love until they find that one loyal, steadfast partner; loves to make others laugh.

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood...

and I'm stuck inside again. It is not much fun when you feel sick on a nice day.

Right now I'm just finishing up my time on the computer since I woke up at noon. I ate a little and so far, all is well.

My husband is outside, laying waste to the grove of scrub trees in our backyard with the chainsaw. At the moment, he's quiet, which means 1) the chainsaw is out of gas, 2)he broke it or 3) Jason just came out of the woods to attack him as the neighbor's ponies and our dog Shiloh watched it all.

Since the sun has been out and he is off, he has been doing a lot of work in the yard lately. One of these days he might even put up that shed he bought last year that's still out there in the box.

Marriage guide for men

I found this humorous one at Upper Canada Catholic last night. Enjoy!

Spring is here

At least, with the high-70 degree weather we're having here today, it sure seems like it.

In typical techie fashion, in between my bouts with my study guide for my psych class I'm taking online this semester, I'm holed up at one of my favorite Wi-Fi hotspots, looking out the window as people come in from the parking lot.

You see a variety of South County residents from this spot. First, you see the parent with kids who obviously has been downtown to the St. Patrick's Day parade today (the green T-shirts, boas, and beads, just give them away). Next, I see a group of guys at the couch and coffee table section just in front of the window, discussing the latest pyramid scheme with some rather unsuspecting spike-haired younger guy. I'm not sure what it is, but this place seems to attract them. Why these guys are so cheap, they don't even have business cards! (as I watch leader 1 hand spikey a scrap of paper as leader 2 gives him a homemade CD, while his cell phone goes off with the next victim.)

I just wish I had a better view from here. You look out and you see the bank across the street and cars going by. Off in the distance, I see an old McDonald's restaurant that sits vacant and the big yellow dumpster enclosure at the Romano's Macaroni Grill.

What they really need is a big green plaza with benches and trees. A safe place to let your kid run without running into traffic or a large display table of very expensive porcelain. Some flowering bushes scattered around would be nice, too.

So much for my lapse into fantasyland. Back to work...at least, the view will be a little better, if not plain.

Life without chocolate

Lent is better some days than others. This year, in the spirit of penitence, I decided to do something hard. I gave up eating chocolate. When you work in an office, only seven feet from the nearest community candy bowl, it is tough.

I have been using some strategies to get me through this while I work.

1. Take another route when walking around the office.
2. Do not dawdle and/or spin in the walkway when waiting for the printer to print your document, which is located a mere two feet from said danger zone (candy bowl).
3. Pack your lunch. If you get hungry, just eat it.
4. Drink more water. Yes, it sounds stupid, but studies show you eat less when you're hydrated. (See Sue, I really did retain something important from your nutrition class!)
5. Hide any chocolate that may be in your possession, like the candy bar the boss just gave you.

Other coping strategies that seem to work most days:

1. Watch the movie "Chocolat". It's like eating it, but without the calories. (Thank goodness there's no smell component to TV or DVD or I'd be attacking the window display just like Monsieur le Comte!)
2. Be distracted by small children who will badger you for whatever you're thinking about eating. My child could win a competition for this. If I just look at the refrigerator, he's thinking of five things he could be eating before bedtime, so I spend my time keeping him out of it.
3. Drink beer. Guinness is dark for a reason...chocolate malt!
4. Hide in the bathroom reading a good book.

At least, if I keep the other corollary of this and stop eating between meals, I might just lose some weight. Who knows. April 15 isn't really that far away.

And then, out comes the dark chocolate...with a nice beer on the side.

It's a rainy Thursday

I'm at my favorite lunchtime Wi-fi hotspot downtown and it's raining, close to what the French call "il pleut des cordes" (raining cats and dogs).

I've got a lot of work I should be doing, but everytime I look out the window, I wonder how I woke up when it would have been a lovely day to sleep in. Then, it hits me, it's Thursday and I'm not off work for vacation.

So, to console myself I'm jamming to Tina Turner's "I can't stand the rain" from Simply the Best. It has been nearly six years since I saw her in concert at the Kiel (now Savvis) Center. That was a great show. She is one great performer and if you sat close to the stage, you could feel the heat from those blow torch things they had on each side. It was cool to see so many different people -- thirtysomethings like me, people in their 60s and 70s (who, like my parents probably saw her at Koenig's in South St. Louis the first time she performed) and teenagers.

My cousin gave me the tickets, only a few weeks after my father had died. I don't think she'll ever know how much that meant to me.

A note from Captain Ed

Just a reminder that I'll be on K-Hits (96.3 - Classic Rock Station) or streaming on the web @ http://k-hits.com/this Thursday, March 9th from 4-6 PM (St. Louis time) with Mark Klose.

I'll be promoting the upcoming DeSmet Annual Rock N Roll Trivia Night fundraiser that John Schaefer & I put on each year. I'll be playing music, asking rock trivia questions and giving away CDs. I don't know how much fun it'll be to listen to but I'm sure it'll be fun for me.

Captain Ed is one of the Chesterfield, Missouri PD's finest, who occasionally works on the Major Case Squad, when he's not emceeing local events.

He's really certifiable....

Hooray! Hubby finally passed his NRRPT!

What is an NRRPT (called N double R PT), you ask?

Here's a synopsis from nrrpt.org:

The objective of the NRRPT is to encourage and promote the education and training of radiation protection technologists and, by so doing, promote and advance the science of health phsics. To do this, the NRRPT has established a credentialling exam. This, criteria based, 150 question exam covers broad-based radiation protection knowledge of accelerators, university health physics programs, medical health physics, power reactors, government radiological facilities, radioactive waste disposal, transportation of radioactive material, fundamentals, and regulatory requirements. The NRRPT also provides incentives and services to encourage personnel to maintain and expand radiation protection education and training.

The NRRPT has been endorsed in various ways by several organizations. The Institute for Nuclear Power Operations (INPO) and the Department of Energy (DOE) have openly recommended that nuclear facilities encourage their personnel to seek NRRPT Registration. The Nuclear Regulator Commission (NRC) provides support by having a staff member assigned to the NRRPT Panel of Examiners. HPS members established the NRRPT and the majority of NRRPT Board of Directors and Panel Members are active members of the HPS national and local chapters. Nuclear facilities (i.e., power plants, government facilites, universities, medical facilities, and military services) provide incentives for personnel to seek and maintain registration. Numerous nuclear facilities provide financial support for Board of Directors and Panel of Examiners to attend biannual meetings.

Although registration does not constitute licensing nor does it guarantee the adequacy of an individual's performance, registration does test competency in fundamentals and operational topics. Registration has been established as a recognized mark of motivation and achievement of radiation protection personnel. The professional credential provided by the Registry has clearly stimulated interest in radiation protection training programs. Some companies specifically require registration for hiring, promotions, and salary grade increases. Some commerical power plant contractors pre-employment screening exams have been waived for NRRPT Registered personnel.

And no, hubby does not glow in the dark! ;->

March Madness - the high school version

In case you haven't already seen this, it's worth a look. Thanks, pk for this one.

Jason McElwain Basketball Superstar
http://www.collegehumor.com/movies/1667265/

Get yer Irish up!

It's that time of year again here in St. Louis. In a town founded by the French and inhabited by one of the largest breweries of German ancestry, the Irish are no slackers in the party department.

My friend Angie, my husband and son went with me last night to the Young Ireland Club's St. Patrick's dance held at Immaculate Conception parish in Maplewood. Bubba (not his real name) had a great time running around and dancing to all the music, even without the missing bohdran player. Angie and I hung out for a while and listened after Bubba (not his real name) got tired and Dad had to take him home.

The downtown St. Patrick's Day parade will be held on Saturday, March 11. This also includes the famous 10K, now the Michelob Ultra St. Patrick's Day run. I haven't been down there in a few years, but I have many fond memories, of seeing the sights of the runners (many in costumes which are green or include cans of beer) and getting my picture taken with my brother Greg and the A-B leprachaun, Sean O'Anheuser when I was in sixth grade. I was already two heads taller than he was, even with his extremely large hat. I've got to dig that one up!

This year, I'm actually going to take my chances to see the Dogtown parade, (aka the "real" St. Patrick's parade) since I am off work that day. I've been asking around and all I keep hearing is go early and be prepared to walk a lot. Lots and lots of people show up for this parade which is held every year on St. Patrick's Day and sponsored by the Ancient Order of Hibernians in the Dogtown neighborhood of St. Louis.

After the parade, explore the numerous restaurants and bars in the neighborhood, or check out nearby Turtle Park, then see Forest Park and its attractions, such as the St. Louis Zoo, Art Museum, or History Museum.

For more information, see Explore St.Louis from the St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission.

A new toy from skw

http://www.frontiernet.net/~cdm/age1.html