Time for pause...

There are times in our lives where things happen that should at the very least cause pause in our lives. Today a tragic school shooting has occurred in Connecticut. As I type this there is around 20 people killed, including teachers, elementary aged students and the gunman himself.

I wish there was a better word in the English language to describe this event other than tragedy, as that word doesn't carry the unmeasurable weight on the heart when you hear about such an event. Not a single parent should have to experience the death of a child in their lifetime. Our children are supposed to out live their parents...any other out come is sheer tragic.

It is times like this that we as a society can grow or continue to fall apart...it is up to us collectively to began to rebuild a better society. If you believe in prayer, please pray for those who were involved in or affected by this tragedy...no one should have to experience this.

It is an event like this that should make us all reflect upon how far mankind has gone into the depths of evil. Everyday we hear of more and more tragedy spread across the globe, but moments like this knocks us collectively down another rung farther and farther away from where we should be.

I do not know where each heart is of those that may read this post but I pray you re-evaluate your life. Please reconsider how you treat those you love. Be quicker to forgiveness than anger. Be quicker to show appreciation than disappointment. Hold your children tighter and hug your spouses longer. Give your parents a call to tell them how much they mean to you.

If you haven't discovered God, or thought about attending a local church perhaps re-consider it. There is but only One answer to this thing we call "life". Yes, many haven taken what He has said and failed in their walk (we all fall short), but do not let their failings stop you from experience the Lord, Jesus Christ in your life. I can honestly tell each and every one of you there is no other way I would be where I am, how I am and who I am if it wasn't for my Lord and Savior.

I have no doubt that if more of us continue to go to, begin to go to, or come back to God...tragedies like these would happen fewer and fewer.

Been awhile...

I don't post here nearly enough...perhaps that will be my New Year's Resolution for this coming year...anyways to make things easy for my wife (perhaps others) when Christmas gift shopping here's a list of some stuff:

Seeing as how the wife hates getting me hunting stuff I'll start with clothes from c28.com which is one of my favorite places: I'm not gonna put links on any of these as basically you go to c28.com and by going to men's Tees or Jewelry you'll find them all. I'd say getting a X-Large or Large (depends if they describe as form fitting or not) is the safe bet, but keep receipt as I could get fat at any minute haha! *Tip: They describe "fit" on each shirt, if slim I'd go with an XL.

 Okay, done with C28. Following pictures will have links below them taking you directly to the item "hopefully".

 (If you buy me anything from sportsmansguide log in using my email and you'll know the password to get the club discount)

Click HERE

Click HERE

Click HERE

Click HERE

Click HERE (you have to get either SAE or Metric (I'd take either or both)

Click HERE

Click HERE

Tool Belt (no pic)

Click HERE

Madden 2013 for Xbox360

 Click HERE for Amazon link

Click HERE for Amazon link

Click HERE

  Okay, now just a list of some items (mostly small).

• headphones (the small kind)
• gum :)
• something rear view mirror worthy to remember you when seen (this one meant for Lisa only haha!) 
• A new phone?! haha j/k (kandace at work may sell me her iphone 4 for cheap though)
• Sweatshirts w/hood
• Seasons of old shows like Third Rock from the Sun, Spin City, Will & Grace....(used off of Amazon is fine)
• I'll think of more :)   

ANYTHING ELSE YOU FEEL I WOULD LIKE :)! I TRUST YA BABE! 

(OBVIOUSLY THE ABOVE IS MEANT FOR LISA!) 

Blood problems...again!

Well I've been through this before (posted about it here Leukemia anyone? ) and I'm now back on the issue. While my white blood cell count has been consistently low for 3 years now, and I've need peripheal smears in order to even reach the bottom of the "normal" range every year. This is due to the machine blood testing device (probably worth millions) can't identify my white blood cells right...hence the further testing which is done by a person and under a microscope.

Well 2 weeks ago I had my yearly blood draw and wouldn't you know same thing...white blood cells low and went to get the smear....well today was my follow up appointment. My doctor is awesome and he'd prepared me to know he was gonna sit down with the top hematology doctor in our area (if not the state) and discuss my blood results over the past years to see if further testing should be done as blood and especially white blood cell problems are huge signs of bad things potentially. My doctor spoke to me like a friend, possibly even a brother. He said he wouldn't feel right if this ended up being something and he didn't refer me to a blood specialist.

So I have an appointment to discuss more blood testing and blood problems with a hematology doctor hopefully next week if not Friday of this week (still in the process). Needless to say I'm worried but also know I'm in good hands and will know by the end of all this if I'm okay or not....the biggest thing that worries my doctor is that my baby white blood cell count was still low even after the second test.....

....now I play the waiting game, and test my trust in God. Here's to hopefully passing with flying colors!

Putting in a patio walkway Hillbilly Style'

Okay I could give you step by step details of how Hillbillies put in paver patio walkways, but I decided I'll keep the writing to a minimum. Let's just say the first step (can't picture this) is choosing the hottest day known to Indiana in decades, this past Saturday July 7 to do it on...103 degrees without heat index or anything!!!! WE WEREN'T TOO SMART...but then again we're Hillbillies and our drums beats out of tune and time.

Secondly ever good DIY walkway done hillbilly style needs the proper attire....jeans or camo shorts preferred with some kind of cut-off are preferred but you're really doing it Hillbilly style if you got a pair of these:

Duct-tape's true purpose: Broken sole of the shoe fixer-upper

A tamper like this:

A lot of these (plus water):

*Crazy (semi-awkward factoid) I drank over 20 bottles of water this day and never used the restroom...just another reason working in 100+ degree heat is probably not the smartest thing!

And on a side note, a true Hillbilly has a: "A/C shade-protector/garden hose mister-in order to hopefully get ancient A/C through the day so the wife doesn't kill someone" (these just like the tamper are not open for ordering until our patent pending designs are fully patented?!)

The garden hose mister is being held in place by a shepherd hook (flower basket thingy) which is in turn being held in place with a trailer spare tire....yeah that's how we roll!

If you have all those things above you can take this:

and transform it into this:

The darker color is due to the paver being wet from the cutting (sprayed while being cut)

I know it's a touch crooked just a hair (some have said they don't notice, and others they like it), and there are a couple shallow lower spots, but hey for the first attempt for both my Dad and I...we did a pretty good job right?!

And that my friends is how two Hillbillies put in a patio walkway....if you wanna know in greater detail how we did this and if there are anything we'd do differently (YES) just ask me....and no my Paver-Shoes are not up for borrowing haha!

Lord...we need your coming...

Does it make me old that I'm already experiencing that, "Lord, why don't you just come already?!" feeling at times? I had one of these moments the other day as I sat watching TV...well flipping through the channels one by one trying to fill the 10 minutes before a show came on I actually wanted to watch.

In a span of about 20 channels I saw the following; an inappropriate music video discrediting everything love truly is, a pregnant teen refusing to raise her baby, a news story on the corruption of high ranking bank officials, the massive civil wars going on over seas, the political campaign news for the 2012 election, adulterous sex, pre-marital sex, trial news on Sandusky's case, a murder story about a teenage girl killing her boyfriend, commercials for the coming Real World on MTV (worthless) and Chicago White Sox game (just kidding on that one).

Honestly I saw all those things and probably forgot a few in those mere minutes of channel surfing. Some were news stories, others commercials and others just regular tv shows. It's amazing how far from our intended purpose we as a human race have strayed from our Creator's hands. We are on a simply path to destruction and can't see it until we put away our iphones or ipads, stop chasing the dollars and begin to be a parent to the children we chose to have!

Lord,

We've gone so far from your designed plan. I'm afraid to admit it, but I've faultered and failed you in the same way the world has. I have strayed from your law for the simple and temporary fixes and highs of this life in various forms. Remind me once again that I am not of this world, for this world is not as you designed it to be anymore. Lord, give me the chances to show my faith and my love for you, and my respect for your calling upon my life. I'm not worthy to be anything of use, but if I can be of any assistance to this dark world use me. I'm nothing but a puddle of sin, but do what you may with it.

Lord, I pray for my community, my country and my world. It has lost all sight of You and your calling upon it. Be with all who are struggling, hurting or wandering farther from you. Put someone or something back into their life in hopes of coming back to you!

I ask all these things in your heavenly name, Amen.


*On a sidenote I pray all had an amazing Father's Day and you told your fathers how much you love them!

Lord, show me what you want me to be...

"Lord, show me what you want me to be..."

It's a question I probably gave a thousand hours of think time to each and every day in the past or atleast it seemed like it. While I still think daily how God might use me or what he might be testing my faith with, I no longer think I have to be something else other than what I am. Let me share with you my heart on this topic...

My whole life people have always said "Ty, you'd be good at (insert occupation)" and while I find that to be encouraging and at times humbling...it never seems to attract me in a way that I'm like, "Yeah, if I was doing that I'd feel complete."

Because really it's still an occupation, not a passion or something you choose to do. Any occupation you do in part, albeit it tiny for some, because you have to. You need the money it provides in order to take care of your family. Which is why sometimes the greatest things in our lives that we enjoy are our hobbies or activities we do without an inkling of "having to".

Now if I could do one of those hobbies or outside work activities for a living that would be awesome...right?! Wrong, slowly overtime it would become just another job...atleast that's how I see it. One which I would go to in part for the fact I have to in order to provide for myself, my wife and my future family. So why would I want to "ruin" a passion I have in the long run just for the short term pleasure of getting to do something I love and get paid for it?!

Those of you who know me, know my Lord is always at the forefront of everything I do...well or atleast I strive for that to be the case. I fail at times and will never pretend otherwise. I fail to keep Him at the forefront, but as I get older I've began to realize that life doesn't seem nearly as big or insurmountable if I keep Him first. It's rarely the most attractive thing to do or the first thing our flesh desires but in the end it gives the greatest award. Being a pastor is something many people have inserted in that sentence I shared earlier, "Ty, you'd be good at 'being a pastor' ". While I find that extremely humbling and I can't express how awesome that is that God obviously is using me enough for others to feel that way, however I don't feel God has called me to do that and I'll explain why.

I grew accustomed to nightly praying to God, "Show me what you want me to be, where you feel I should go with me life!?". If He told me to go and lead (be a pastor), I would go...likewise if he told me to do something else, I would follow that as well. I kept recieving the same message from Him as I searched for answers from Him, "Stay honest, stay humble and show my love to others". Frustrastion set in as I began to realize this answer was neither a yes or a no...so I prayed even harder thinking that would help me get closer to an answer.

He simple kept responding the same, "Stay honest, stay humble and show my love to others". I can still remember thinking maybe He just wants to test me to see if I can do that, and if I accomplish or pass the test He'd reveal the answer. Well I learned that no matter what I did in 'service' with the intent of gaining an answer out of it I seemed to actually be losing ground on understanding. (I was doing service for all the wrong reasons)

I can still remember the night I had that "daylight breaking through the night" moment. I was listening to music on random play and Background (click to listen) by Lecrae came on...one of my favorite songs ever to grace my ears, but for some reason this time I felt God was whispering the lyrics to me. I can remember closing my eyes and just listening, no questioning just pure listening. From the verses to the refrain I felt like God was honestly the one delivering the words to my ears. As a tear rolled down my cheek I can remember thinking, "Alright, I have no clue where to go but okay Lord." You see that song is about what a true Christian life should be like...playing the background to a play or show.

I think for so long I kept asking the Lord what He wanted me to do or be to make an impact in this world or lead others to make an impact...I was so confused. He doesn't call us to make an impact or give us the power to change lives...He gives us the chance to be an instrument or a tool that when used by His hands will change lives (including our own). I for so long asked how I can use myself for His glory, naively thinking I could have the power to make a change on my own so long as I "go where He calls me". I had fallen into the trap of thinking me asking it to be His will made me in some fashion worthy...but to truly ask His will to be done means I first needed to realize I'm unworthy of anything He pours out onto me...change can only happen when I take a backseat, or play the background in this scene called life.

My prayers shifted that night from "Lord, show me what you want me to be" to "Lord, here is this puddle of sin called Ty...do with it as you see fit". I'll admit by praying those words I was leaving the door wide open, I was no longer asking God to tell me what to be or do with my life...I was asking Him to take over my life in a way I'd only touched now and then. No longer was I asking him how I should use my life to make a Godly impact...I was asking Him to take my life, given to God, to make an impact in all aspects of my life! By doing this it was amazing the clarity and the peace I began to find in my Lord...no longer thinking or relying upon my own wisdom or power I truly began to feel like God was going to use me in a fashion like the words to hide and go seek, "Ready or not here I come".

For so long I figured in order to do God's work I had to be at a different place in my life. Either a different job, different location on this Earth or some greater understanding of why I am where I am. I was so naive in the fact that He can take any and use them as an instrument of change...if He decides it.  All we have to accept is we are un-worhty of the lead and can only play the background. 

So I must ask you, are you willing to play the background? It's not a comfy world to live in, playing the background that is...because you don't know where God is going to lead you, you just have to follow by staying honest, staying humble and sharing His love with others. There really isn't anything more than that involved in following God. So go ahead put on your tree costume and stand there in the background and let God take center stage; together we can help keep eachother honest, humble and sharing His love to others, by keeping ourselves in...the background.

Yo, I had a dream that I was captain of my soul
I was master of my fate, lost control, and then I sank
So I don't want to take the lead, 'cause I'm prone to make mistakes
All these folks who follow me, goin' end up in the wrong place
So just let me shadow you, just let me trace your lines
Matter of fact, just take my pen, here, you create my rhymes
'Cause if I do this by myself, I'm scared that I'll succeed
And no longer trust in You, 'cause I only trust in me
And see, that's how you end up headed to destruction
Paving a road to nowhere, pour your life out for nothin'
You pulled my card, I'm bluffin', You know what's in my hand
Me, I just roll and trust you, You cause the dice to land
I'm in control of nothing, follow You at any cost
Some call it sovereign will, all I know is you the boss
And man, I'm so at ease, I'm so content
I'll play the background, like it's an instrument

-Lecrae...Background

Church needs to remember...

Is it just me or does the church sometimes need to remember we can't take it with us when we're gone as well?

The mortar, wood, glass, cement and steel used to construct a church are just as immortal as our human bodies, the cars we drive or the houses we build....no?
A church should be built with love, grace, kindness and faith...which is poured out into it's community not into it's structure...

Praise God this day, for in the end nothing else matters.

Shouldn't we...

Shouldn't the church be inviting not intimidating?
Shouldn't Christians be warm and loving not cold and judging?
Shouldn't we be transparent not cloaked in hiding?
Shouldn't we desire God daily not just when it's fitting?
Shouldn't this be easy instead of hard?

God, we prove daily without you we are merely a lost soul whose better at pointing our black fingers at others then praying for your love...that is why I need you, I need you to lead me back into your light daily.

Thoughts on being who I'm called to be...

I'm not the man I was yesterday, not the man I'll be tomorrow
Yesterday's me is gone, today's for workin' toward the morrow
He's propping me up, as I stumble through this life
See I can't do it alone, no matter I can never cover the price
But he comes in and blows up my nights, erasing all night
Igniting within me the will to continue the fight
I'm climbin, I'm crawlin, I'm clawin
The man of my tomorows I'm slowly becomin

-Tyni

Want a puppy....I know I do?

So I was afraid my wife would get attached and here I am trying to convinve myself and re-convince myself we can't keep it.

This little girly, atleast we think girly, showed up Sunday night and simply won't leave our house.

We found out she's been sleeping in a little corner where our front wood porch meets our brick garage...curled up in a pile of dried leaves behind a garden hose rack. Saddest thing you've ever seen in your life!

It took hours for Lisa to get it to even stop barking and finally let her pet it. In the meantime I'm knocking on dozens of doors trying to figure out where her home is. She did not like it when I came back home and started barking and getting scared again (although the scared feeling never fully left her).

So we go to eat, after giving her some treats and a bowl of water. We couldn't get her to the no-kill humane society in our county due to they were already closed, so we crossed our fingers she'd still be there today when we both get home....

....however last night with the cold wind blowing I had to see how she was doing....this is when it happened, she broke my heart. I look down from a top the deck to see this:

Shivering in her lonely sleep....I had to do something so, old blankets, towels, cardboard, chipboard and a couple trash cans later I had built her atleast something that would block a lot of the wind and provide some warmth (although she still wouldn't move so I could put a blanket under her, even after petting her for 15 minutes before building!). I could instantly tell she was grateful and put her little head on the pillow as I petted her head one last time before heading back inside for the night.

So she was still there this morning...ate some food, but only if I brought it to her as she still isn't comfortable enough to come out to us or get up from her little cubby. Trust is getting there, and hopefully when we try to pick her up to put her in the car tonight she won't freak!

Now I know many of you are screaming, KEEP THE FREAKING THING!!! I want to, but with a long haired cat and a highly jealous Maltepoo in the house it just isn't a good idea....and outside dog is out of the question as my wife views that as completely wrong (only type of dog I had growing up...even built the sucker a mansion of a doghouse...IT HAD INSULATION!).

So this little girl...Hope (shouldn't have named her)...is going to the shelter tonight unless someone really truly wants her, I just can't let her have to sleep outside in the cold anymore!

Taken right before I left for work today...hopefully she'll have stuck around
 again so we can get her to the Humane Society tonight.

This, that and a little bit of everything...

First this: a little thought of mine I would like to share...

God has never had bad timing...we just have hard times dealing with his timing. Lord, may we always trust in your plan.

 

You know it's crazy how true that statement is and how I guarantee every single one of us can relate to it.

 

I know I don't have to look farther than my job...after years of working hard towards gaining my bachelor's degree in education God saw it fit that a teaching job just not be in the cards for me...atleast yet. By doing so he's allowed me to experience things I'd never have been able to if I was teaching (I was the type who got there first and typically left last)...

 

I've headed up a lot of concerts/events for my church, been granted with the ability to clock out and be 100% done with work at the end of my days; something you can be sure I'm very grateful for! *No worries momma and dadda...I'm still going to update my files on record with schools this summer and just wait to see what the Lord has in store with my life.

 

I could continue to share a ton of stories from my life but let's be honest that'd bore you and probably take too much of my time.

 

Now time for that: Weight loss challenge update..

 

I'm doing good ya'll!!! I was sadly sick enough from Friday through Sunday night I couldn't muster up any attempt at working out...but last night WOOOOOOOOOOO! I may have wore out the elliptical...burned over 800 calories with my workout last night. Thank you to Primtime hunting DVD (insert redneck jokes here) and The Walking Dead for keeping me distracted for over an hour on the elliptical! As of this morning Ty is officially gonna lose again for the 7th straight week...I'll practice my right to remain silent till the officiall weigh in tomorrow and I can release the exact number I lost.

 

Time for A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING:

 

jUsT rAnDoM GoOdIeS...

 

Lately it's extremely odd but I'm on a Adele, Colt Ford (insert redneck jokes here) and JJ Heller kick! Completely one of the oddist assortments and makes for quitet the random shuffle playlist haha!!!

 

I'm currently considering donating plasma...said it for years but I'm serious this time. Anyone else out there do it ever?

 

I have been oddly intrigued by this election...perhaps it is the fact I foresee it being one of the most dangerous ones I may witness in my life if it goes One way.

 

Chris Brown should just go away...I really don't care if it is jail, prison or just an abyss somewhere. His contribution to society is zilch...yes I pulled out ZILCH!

 

The Vow (with Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams) was actually REALLY good...not gonna lie. I'm also going to go out on a limb and state Channing Tatum is finally actually becoming an actor and not just a movie model typecast character.

 

Brantley Gilbert and Eric Church are saving true COUNTRY MUSIC.

 

I still miss DC Talk! :-(

 

God is good, all the time! All the time, God is good!

 

 

God bless ya'll!

WhAt Do YoU dO wHeN hAvE rEaChEd YoUr GoAl?!

That's right fellas and gallas, totally just made that word up...but I like it so we'll keep it....anyways I did it ya'll!! I've offically reached the 10% weight loss and it occured exactly at our challenge's half way point!

The only problem is I had 1 goal going into the competition (well 2, but winning is a given):

#1- REACH 10% OF TOTAL WEIGHT LOSS

I figured that was going to take the entire 12 weeks...not just 6!? So now I've had to do what I never thought I would be able to...set an even higher goal!

I'm am now upping my goal to 15% total weight loss, which really is just 5% this second half of the competition but that means losing another 10.5lbs....ugh...and getting multiple pound weight loss on weigh ins is getting harder and harder.

We'll see what happens though, my knees are feeling better, my energy level is up and my health hasn't been this good in a while (says the boy with a sore throat, but honestly that's the first hint of anything in 6 weeks).

Time to put the pedal to the metal and just keep going!

Last time I checked it isn't the mirror or our families, it isn't magazines or significant others, it is isn't radio personalities or our bank account balance, it isn't what the television says or even our spouses, it isn't the girl across the bar or the guy buying you a drink, it isn't our pastors or religous figures....none of those things are our true judge, so why do we focus so much attention, time and energy on worrying about what they have to say and worry about what God thinks if we have time?

Lord grant me the ability to understand and do this more than I have been.

Just a quick thought for you all...

We are a collection of fears and failures...some of us embrace them, learn from them, and God uses them to strengthen us even...others of us hide them and continue them: Which will you do?

You choose to embrace them, learn from them and allow God to strengthen you due to them YOU WILL BEGIN TO SEE THE SILVER LINING MORE AND MORE EVERY SINGLE DAY!

Ah! 25lbs down...time to raise a glass!!

So some may find this ridiculous...others yet may think sad. I however see it as sweet justice for all the hard work I've put in.

Yes, tonight Ty will be having an ice cold Chimay Blue as I celebrate 25lbs of weight loss! That's right I'm celebrating weight loss with something that will probably make me gain a touch of it back...but ask me if I care.



 Ty do you care?

NOPE!!!!!!!

Ah...Chimay is one of very few brews made by monks inside monestary walls!!!!
God and beer...man that's the life!!!!
(googleimages)

I'm going to relish in my sweet victory and if that means this next week I have to fight just not to gain any weight...I'll do it!

I've worked my sorry little butt off and I'm going to celebrate my success!

*Incase you're wondering how this ranks me at work for our weight loss challenge it puts my right at 9.78% of total weight loss!!!!!! Still in first by more than 2%...but we still got a long way to go and my weight loss is slowing down so that just means more work for me as the weeks continue to wear on.

I know it sounds cliche but "If I can do this you totally can" to be honest the first two weeks I barely worked out, and definitely not as hard as I am now and still lost over 15lbs those two weeks! The key is this: don't eat processed, sugar infested boxed food! I'd say 99% of what goes down my gullet is either fruits, veggies or meat...as God intended it! Try it...you'll see and feel the difference.

Okay had to share my celebration with all of you about my weightloss!

I'll leave with a quote totally un-related to weight loss:

"Why do we worry and spend so much money on building our reputation? Why don't we worry about building character, which will take care of the rest?!

What's that saying...When the going gets tough, the tough get...

...GOING BABY!!!!

As you all know I'm on the endeavor of losing weight...man is it getting tough!

I'm eating better, feeling better, lookin' better (couldn't resist)....but gosh darnit if the weight loss has slowed down some.

Alright Mr. Fat, you want dance...LET'S DANCE!

Weigh in is on Wednesday and I've officially slowed down my weight loss each week: 13, 6, 2.5 and then .5 a pound...this week Ty's getting to 230lbs! That's equal to losing 3.5lbs from last week...to do this I'll be taking pain killers for the knee, greasing up the old elliptical and hopefully riding it till my feet just can't go anymore!

I just keep picturing how happy I'll be with myself if I ever reach the goal I had of 10% weight loss....and who knows maybe I'll just keep on going beyond that!

Getting Old Sucks!

So I'm 25...not even middle aged yet. So why oh why does my whole entire body hurt today?

Now I'm not talking that ache we all feel after working out...no this is soreness from the core of my legs all the way up the back and even into my head. What did I do to cause this you ask? Well, I seemed to think for a time last night that I was once again 16 years old again...

Basketball with a bunch of high schoolers...not a good idea. Big reality check, stupidity and knee 'ruining' event all rolled into one!

I mean I love helping with the youth at my church, but darnit if they don't just get my body into more trouble than I need. My left knee already "should" be scoped out aka FiXed OncE and For aLL. My back seems for some reason to not like doing what I once did 40+ lbs ago...maybe that is the biggest of my problems (but I'm working on it ya'll!).

So needless to say this morning I sounded about 80 trying to get out of bed, my body feels like it's 90...and my left knee feels about 100. It's okay though it could be worse, I mean I could have done this right in the middle of a weight  loss challenge where exercise is key and the knee is a pivotal part of being able to do that...oh wait... haha!

Here's to hoping tonight the knee holds up on the elliptical and Ty can lose atleast a pound or two come the weigh in on Wednesday!

URINAL POSTING: Little bit of awesome I did at work!

So there has been some correct that ALOT of issues with the urinal at my place of work.

Lack of aiming ability. (I mean really?!)

Lack of flushing their bodily fluids down the drain after extraditing them from their bodies.

So...now when you enter our Men's bathroom on the 2nd floor and use the urinal you are greated with this:

The sheer fact this sign was needed just goes to show the race of men is just deteriorating at a rate faster than we all thought. HAHA! (but also sadly not funny...)

21.5lbs down....more to come!!!

That's right I officially have lost 21.5 pounds during the last 3 weeks of my work place's Biggest Loser competition! I only lost 2.5 pounds this week and was kinda dissaponted, I mean I had lost 13 then 6 but then I rememeber this is just one pound of fat:



(http://www.eatingcleangettinglean.com/)

Wow....I've lost over 21 of those blobs....kinda puts it back into perspective!

So now I'm only 3.5 pounds away from allowing myself to celebrate 25lbs with a Trappist brewed beer I purchased! I'm hoping to just allow 1, but who knows I may not be able to stop due to my love of true beer! Watch, I'll lose 25lbs, celebrate and then need to lose 2.5 more just to get back to 25 total lbs lost!! HAHA!

Anyways, if you are wondering just what is he doing to get these results?! Well here is the short of what I'm am doing:

-I rarely eat any breads outside of the one piece of Ezekiel (all sprouted greens) with my morning egg (sometimes with peppers). *I do occasional allow a no sugar added tortilla at dinner if having healthy tacos!

-95% of what I buy at grocery store comes from the produce section...only things that don't are meat, plain greek yogurt and true natural peanut butter (occasional spices too, but only ones without sugar or corn syrup added!)

-I try to exercise 20-30 mins minimum a day, and always take the stairs at work (actually always try to hit 10 a day, even if over lunch) *Some days I've been known to put elliptical infront of the TV and go for 30-50 mins on a lower setting...very easy way to burn 300-500 calories!

That's it! The eating healthy I feel has made the biggest part! Reading labels has changed my life! Just by removing all added sugars (corn syrup, malodextrin and all other forms) I feel is the biggest factor in my weight loss!

So that Channing Tatum picture yesterday...probably out of the picture but you know what I could end up looking like a fatter more normal version of him here very shortly haha!



Yeah that's how I look....well not yet...

(googleimages)

Yeah okay you caught me I'm lying...not quite what I look like, I have stubble....okay fine I look nothing like that, but a boy's gotta have a goal.

Alright I don't really hope to look like that, I mean until someone is writing me checks based upon my appearance I don't care to look like that. I like beer too much!

Speaking of beer, it's been 3 weeks now I haven't allowed myself any beer! Now I'm no alcholic but I'd like to consider myself a micro-brewery specialist....ugh and a new one just opened up in my area. GET HERE 25lbs LOST! <---Going to celebrate by putting on a pound or two in beer haha!

So how close am I?! We'll see tomorrow morning, currently I'm setting officially at 19lbs down in 2 weeks...hoping to break 20 for sure but 22 is my realistic goal. That puts me within reach of 25 in 4 weeks!

How is he doing this?

A WHOLE LOT OF THIS:

(all googleimages)

Also no added sugar in any form if I can help it!

Your boy is also burning up the eliptical, off-brand total gym (you know the Chuck Norris machine!) and believe it or not a shake-a-weight <-----thing is ridiculous!!!

So with tomorrow's weigh in you can bet tonight is going to be a hard night in the exercise department!! So if any of you are going out tonight, please have a cold one for me!

So you've lost weight...big deal!

So I'm two and a half weeks into a weight loss challenge at my place of employment...I hate those things. I think they're stupid, waste of time and only a temporary fix. That said this one's for money so obviously I'm in it to win it!!! After two weeks I've lost 19lbs and a little over 7% of my original weight, which is a good 2% more than the second place person.

Feeling good about myself I constantly strive to not eat junk food, have steamed veggies and no carbs after breakfast and continue to force myself to working out downstairs in the man cave/workout room.

So this entire time I've been striving to lose weight my wife has been sick for most of it. She has ran fevers in the high 102 range and even touched 103. She's barely ate anything but jello and ice cream (occasional Mac & Cheese on the good days) and has lost over 12lbs trying and doing nothing....maybe I'm going about this all wrong. Is it smart bad of me to want to attempt at contracting this unknown illness from her just to lose some more weight?!

I guess my decision will come this Wednesday, the dreaded weigh-in day....of which it's looking like if I stay the same as last week I'll be happy.

Perhaps if this whole healthy eating thing and exercise doesn't keep me ahead of the pack I'll just simply contract an illness or look into that aneroxic thing (seriously kidding...I think) haha!