Day 1 - My Name is Cole...

And I'm fat.  Yep.  Pretty fat.  I'm also sluggish.  My wit isn't as sharp as it used to be either.  

I'm not just mentioning this because I'm masochistic, I'm mentioning it because I'm tired of it.  Today I've started a new way of eating, and living, in an effort to reclaim my health and energy...and no I'm not going to try and sell anyone anything (not that anyone else reads this), although if you'd like to send cash, I'm sure we can arrange it.

So here are my stats, for posterity, on Day 1:

Age: 31

Weight: 238lbs

Height: 5'11"

Waist: 38

Goal Weight: 185lbs

Weight Left to Lose: 53lbs

I'm not going to spend an inordinate amount of time proselytizing on the method that I'm using to get healthy.  I will say that I'm not purchasing any weight loss products, nor am I buying a gym membership (for now).  I know what you're thinking..."He's going to do cocaine!".  That'd be a good guess, but no.  It's just too expensive (that was a joke).  I'm going to focus on diet, then work in exercise.  Through research, the diet that fits my life best at this point is Paleo.  It makes sense, it gets results, and it includes bacon...and I'm fairly certain anything that includes bacon is the cats pajamas.  I'm not putting a time frame on the diet (the hardest thing for me to wrap my head around admittedly), I'm going to change my lifestyle in order to be healthier...and by proxy...not fat, lethargic, and dull-witted.

I'm not yet old enough that I don't remember what it felt like to be in shape.  I can remember the energy and stamina I had at 185lbs.  I would guess that plenty of men have this same epiphany earlier in life (before they're married)...well, like I said, I've grown slow witted.

I'm married now, and have two phenomenal little boys.  I want to be around for all of them, and I want to be there for a long, long time.  Eating the way I am now isn't going to facilitate that.   I'm self-aware enough that I've gone through these cycles before (new years eve anyone?), but this time have the buy in and support of my gorgeous, witty, and altogether awesome wife.  

So I'm going to post results here weekly.  Again, I'm fairly certain my readership is somewhere between zero and two, so it's not for support or kudos...if anything, I'll give the link to this blog to my boys when they're old enough, and they can see what a chubby, jaded guy their dad was back when he was fat.

The Turn

Last night marked a change in the country.

Granted, the change had already occurred...last night was simply confirmation of it.  The United States of America, or rather 50% of her, chose big government and the nanny-state over liberty.  Chose hand-outs rather than a hand-up.  It's a sad, disgusting time.

I don't want to sound fatalist about it all.  America has endured so many terrible events in her history.  World Wars, depression, Civil War, floods, famines, droughts...we've seen it all.  The difference, and the bit that worries me, is this:  We rose to those occasions.  We, as a people, buckled down and pulled through.  We worked hard, harder than anyone expected us to.  We sacrificed our sons and daughters.  We fought, brother against brother.  We defeated evil, we stood strong and defiant in the face of overwhelming odds...not because our government told us to, but because we had faith in an Almighty God, and had the pride and courage to press on.

I say "We".  That isn't actually the case.  "They" did all those things.  Our fore bearers, those that came before us that granted us the gift that is this country. "We" on the other hand, have grown soft and compliant.  Amazing, considering that our forefathers tamed this country.  They struck out, with little more than hope, and built the foundation our country is built on.  They fought a tyrannical government for independence.  They created a society that has endured because of freedom, not in spite of it.  They resisted oppression, both in their own country and in others.  "They" provided the example.  "We" ignored it.

We were a republic.  A place where each state decided what was best for her people, with a limited federal government to hold us together. The balance has shifted.  No longer is our government limited...they now have a hand in every facet of our lives...from what to eat, to what we drive, what we wear, the list is endless.   Our forefathers would wring their hands in disgust at what we've allowed this country to become in a few short generations.  They would say "How can a country, so rich in blessings, be so bankrupt spiritually and mentally"?  They'd have a good point.

Last night, 59 million people said "let the government choose for me".  Shocking.  Shocking because the government has proven in the last century that everything they touch becomes more expensive and less efficient.  Government, it seems, no longer exists to protect the rights of our people...rather it now exists to perpetuate itself.  Last night, it made significant strides in doing so.  Are we so ignorant, as a people, that we require guidance from an all powerful government in every single decision of our lives?  A government made up of human beings...as fallible, lazy, boastful, and corrupt as any other in society.  A decade ago, I would have said no.  Today, I say at least half of us may be...or rather, half of us have grown so accustomed to living off of the backs of other people, that their primary concern is whether they'll continue to get their gratis, responsibility free lives.  Half of us have bought into the lie that morality is the root of intolerance.  Half of us believe that success should not be lauded, but should be looted.  Our honor, our sense of justice and pride, have atrophied.  I'm terrified as to what the treatment for such an atrophy may be...what may be so jarring to our country that would snap that half of the country out of their government induced stupor.  Sadly, we're likely to find out.

Do I believe that America will survive this?  Sure.  Though not the bold, adventurous, blessed America we all once knew.  We will survive as a bland amalgam of those who take, and those who provide for the takers at the end of a barrel.  We'll be told our religion prevents tolerance...so we need to abandon it.  We'll be told that we all need to "pay our fair share"...though we won't be told how much that is, and won't see a return on our investment.  We'll be told that our morals make us pariahs...don't you want to be loved by everyone?  We'll be shown that hard work doesn't pay...or at least it doesn't improve your station in life.  We'll be told to let the government choose for us...they have our "best interest" in mind.

Those of us with honor, with pride, with strength of character will resist.  We will pour everything we have into righting the ship before it capsizes.  Our media has abandoned us, don't expect to see stories on the network news about those of us who simply won't bend to the will of a government proven to lie, cheat, and steal when convenient.  We'll be branded: obstructionists, racists, bigots.  We'll hear the claims so often that their true, awful, meanings will be lost on our people.  We must not waver.  Our brothers and sisters will need independent, hard working men and women.  People who know the value of a days work.  People who know that if given a shotgun, a Bible, and a compass they'll never go hungry, never lack for guidance, and never be lost.

Do not lose hope.  Though we may not succeed in stemming the tide of big government and socialism at this moment, this seemingly endless cycle of debt and handouts, moral bankruptcy and reverse racism, cannot be sustained.  When it fails, as it inevitably will, we will be left to pick up the pieces.  Let us pray that when we're called, we'll rise to the occasion, and generations ahead of us will point to a time when America faltered, but her proud people picked her up, dusted her off, and set her back on the path to prosperity.

God bless the United States of America...You know we need it.

Occupy Wall Street? Occupy Reality Instead.

I'm going on record...the "Occupy Wall Street" movement will end with a whimper.  Though I've been wrong before, I sincerely hope this prediction is accurate...otherwise we're in a tailspin as a country that'll be near impossible to steer out of.

Let me get this straight, they hope to capitalize on the average citizens disillusionment with "corporate America" or "the wealthy" to affect change (which apparently, judging by the mishmash of messages appears to be a move towards socialism)?  The average citizen is busy working their tail off to maintain what they have, or if they're lucky, get ahead...something that's incredibly difficult to do in this economy.

The average *working* citizen doesn't wake up in the morning and say "Damn, that Wall Street is really beating me down."  Generally speaking, they get their paycheck and say "Damn, that Uncle Sam is robbing me blind."

If I don't support a particular company, or their "lack of humanity" I DON'T BUY THEIR PRODUCTS.  That's the beauty of capitalism.  If a company sucks...either by the products they offer or their "evil" business practices, you can choose to let them die by refusing to purchase their products.

Try doing the same when you disagree with how much income tax you pay.  Or how much Social Security tax you pay...that you'll never get back.  Or how much you pay in Medicare.  Or how much tax you pay on a gallon of gas.  The list is endless, and for most of us, inevitable.

These people advocate additional taxation on the "1%"?  Laughable.  How about the 47% that pay absolutely nothing in tax, and in return are rewarded with a check of varying amounts courtesy of my taxes?  I'm by no means wealthy...Wall Street doesn't piss me off.  It's business, and businesses are in it to make money so that people like me can make a living.  I'm pissed that my tax dollars are subsidizing a bunch of whiny-ass, unorganized chuds.  You're not the 99%.  You're the .00009% who had the means to get to a rally, who have no real interest in gainful employment (otherwise you wouldn't be camped out for weeks, pissing in shrubs and handing out communist literature), or if you did have interest in gainful employment it was dashed because you realized that no one in the business world will pay you $250,000 a year for your degree in Journalism (a degree that probably cost you a minimum of $50,000).  You've been fleeced...and not by "big bad business" but by the feel-good liberalism that permeates our society.

If you're at one of these rallies, and you really want to change the world, go home.  Get a job.  It's likely that the job will suck.  You'll get some experience, you'll move on to a job that likely sucks less.  You'll work your way up in the world.  You'll have setbacks, sure. You're experiencing one now if you genuinely want work but can't find it.  Aim lower, be realistic.  Unlike what we were told in school, you can't be anything you want, not immediately anyway.  You'll get out of work exactly what you put into it.  There's a chance you'll be dealt a dirty hand, it happens.  Maybe it wasn't your fault, maybe it isn't fair.  There is one constant...Life, as a general rule, isn't fair.  It's not up to the government to make it fair, not up to your parents, nor Wall Street.  It's up to you to make your slice of the world a better place.

The answer isn't more taxation, unless it comes in the form of a flat tax that treats everyone equally.  The answer isn't more government...they've proven time and again that they're wholly incapable of operating within their means, or resolving any real issues.  Government, in its current form, exists only to perpetuate itself.  The answer is accountability.  Be accountable.  When our grandparents, or great grandparents, experienced hardship they tightened their belts.  They worked harder, longer hours.  If they accepted charity, or welfare, it was temporary.  There was pride to be had in working, and earning, a living.

We have grown increasingly disconnected with reality as a culture.  We're told to be good...but not too good lest we offend those who won't perform.  We're told that success should be punished...why should someone have something nicer than me after all?  We're told that everyone is equal, though some are more equal than others.  We're told that the government has all the answers...a statement that has been wholly invalidated in the United States since the "New Deal".

If you want to get ahead...work for it.  Or be born with it, and maintain it.  Or win it in a lottery.  Or sell an idea.  Or invent something.  That's the beauty, or at least it was, of our country.  Success is a low hanging fruit for those willing to seize it.  Unfortunately, as an incredibly vain society "success" has been redefined as being a millionaire, or owning a Ferrari, or being a star.

I don't have a million dollars in the bank, but I'm successful.  I have a faith that provides peace and salvation.  I have a family that I love, and that loves me.  I live in a home that shelters us from the elements.  I have a job that allows me to provide for my family.  I have a 55" LCD TV (hey...I worked for it).  Maybe some day I'll get that million, maybe not.  If I do, it won't be because the government did me any favors, it'll be because we elected some leaders with common sense that work day by day to lessen the impact of government in my life.

So pack up your tent.  Pour out your patchouli oil.  Throw away your freshly printed copy of the Communist Manifesto.  Go home, wherever that may be, and get started on your own path to success.  If you're any sort of man (or woman), the money and life you earn will be far more valuable than any handout you receive.

Running Scared

Amusing web ad from the GOP.  Good stuff.

I Can't Stop Watching This...

Cats.  Although they're completely useless and overtly hate the human race, it's small nuggets like this that lead me to swerve away from some of them in the road.

Obama Wins Nobel Peace Prize

...And in related news the guy that fixed my tire on Saturday won the Nobel Prize for Physics.  If accomplishing absolutely nothing and promising everything is reason enough to get a Nobel Prize, then almost every politician on the planet is eligible for this award.  I understand that they've given this award not because of what he's done, but because of what he might accidentally do at some point in the future.  I've asked my company to go ahead and pay me now for the industry rocking, ground breaking product that I haven't created yet, but might.  I'm still waiting to hear back from them on when to expect the check.

Not much else to say about this really.  I always sort of thought that this was an actual award, not a politicized throw away medal given to the biggest mouthpiece for liberal tripe at the time.  I would have guessed wrong.

This guy may actually out Jimmy Carter the real Jimmy Carter.

Election Day Rant...Updated

Update: Well...here we are. Mark this down as a historic night for America. We have elected our first African American president, and for that I am proud.

I am not, however, proud of the ideals that were elected. America voted the "hip" guy into office. Have we, as a nation, digressed to the point where the presidential race has become American Idol 2.0? I hope not, but I fear so. They say that the pain induced by Jimmy Carter gave us Ronald Reagan, and I believe that in fifteen years we'll be saying the same thing about Obama. Who will be the next Reagan? There's no way to tell.

So at this point we as conservatives must ask ourselves a few questions: Why did we lose, and what can we do to win in future elections? To me, the answer simply boils down to this...the Republican party became "democrat lite". The dividing line between the two parties has been blurred so severely that few Americans can differentiate between them. We were the party of low taxes, free trade, upholding the constitution, and morality. Until we return to those positions, we are doomed to fail.

The worst possible move that we as a party could make would be to read this election as a sign that we should move closer to the "center". The complete opposite is true. We must redefine ourselves. We must view this as a time for purging the corruption and mediocrity that has crept in to our party like a thief in the night.

We must be different. We must be prepared when the country needs us...and that time will soon be at hand.

This needs to start immediately. Let me kick things off...a prerequisite for future Republican candidates: No lawyers.

On a related note, and potentially the silver lining here, we are now in the position that the democrats have been in for a few years. Why is that a silver lining? Because now it's our turn to be a pain in the ass. Now it's our turn to criticize their chosen one at the drop of a hat, to piss and moan and whine when things don't go our way.

But we won't do that. We won't take that low road. That's not to say that we won't be a pain in their ass, I expect nothing less, but we'll do so by being the voice of reason. We'll be the people who point out that America can't run its engines on hope and unicorn farts, that you can't cut taxes in one breath and spend trillions with the next.

Will it be easy? No, I expect it won't. I expect that things will get far worse before they get better. But they will get better. America has contracted a progressive mental disorder over the past few years. Tonight we see that instead of taking medicine to cure the disease, some in the country took the lollipop and ignored the ailment.

Mark my words, though they may be from the mouth of a no name mid-twenties Texan, we will be that cure. Pray that by the time our fellow countrymen are prepared for the medicine, we'll have prepared to be it.

_________________________________


Yeah...I know I haven't posted anything in months, would you believe I've been busy? No? How about that I just didn't have anything worth putting to paper (or keyboard)? But today is different. Today is important. Today could mark a turning point in the direction our country is headed…will we choose a war hero, or a defeatist. Will we choose a battle tested enemy of terrorists, or a man who wishes to sit down and have tea with them. Will we choose capitalism and democracy, or socialism and authoritarianism. These are our choices.

Now, for the rant portion of this post. The American people, as a whole, have been fleeced. The blame for this lies mostly with the media, who have willingly omitted damning evidence against Obama. There is a veritable laundry list of illegal dealings, shady ties, and outright socialist statements that have been either underplayed, or completely ignored. There was a time, though I may be too young to fully appreciate it, when the media coverage had a modicum of evenhandedness. That time has come and gone. For the most part, the American media wants Obama, and they’ve sold their souls to get him. It would serve us well as a country if we remember this, no matter who wins or loses the election.

I will be the first to say that McCain was (and is) not my favorite Republican candidate. He’s soft on many issues I find to be important. That being said, my choice for president is unbelievably easy. I don’t like paying taxes. I don’t want the government to control any more that what they already do. I don’t want to wave a white flag in the middle of two wars. I don’t want to pay more for electricity because the president and congress think they should force us into conservation.

How lazy, how slow, how blind must a person be to vote for Obama? What has he promised that will make up for his obvious faults? National heathcare? The government can’t manage a disaster, but they’re going to manage the healthcare for millions? Alternative energy? It’s already being worked on, his plan would just make it impossible to afford the energy we have, thus leaving us with no alternative. Tax cuts for 95% of us? How are you going to nationalize healthcare and spend billions on alternative energy and not RAISE taxes on everyone? You can’t. So either he’s lying about what he’s going to do on healthcare and energy, or he’s lying about taxes…bottom line is that he’s a liar.

He is equivalent to the “cool uncle” at your family reunion. He’s the one that’ll give you a beer when you’re not old enough to drink. He’ll tell you a dirty joke or two. You think to yourself “Man, wouldn’t it be great to live with that guy?” So you spend a week with him and his family one summer. He doesn’t work, you’re eating ramen noodles with hotdogs in them, and you can’t wait to get back home. Sure you have to work at home, but at least you’re not living off of government cheese and off-brand menthol cigarettes.

I don’t know how the election will turn out today, and either way it goes I feel confident that America will survive, but if we make the wrong decision today America will be damaged. We were founded on a few basic principles, our constitution guarantees them. Obama doesn’t agree with our constitution, with our national anthem, with our way of life period. Why elect someone who so hates this country to RUN this country? Should the worst happen, and the piss-ignorant rule the day, I hope that I am proven wrong. I hope that the “Hope and Change” Obama speaks of isn’t an analogy for the “Hammer and Sickle”.

So, go to the polls, it’s your God given and Constitutionally enforced right. Vote for substance, not buzz words and pseudo-socialism. Vote for strength, not defeat. Vote for John McCain, because a vote for anyone else nigh guarantees that we will pay a terrible price for poor decisions.

So until tomorrow (unless Obama is elected, at which point I may be “censored”), go and vote (unless you’re an idiot, or lazy, or commie, or all three). Let’s hope that the sun shines on our party, and God help America if it doesn’t.