It was cold this morning. I was happy thinking I have thick winter socks waiting for me at work. I was also happy to have my under-ski hat (one of those light warm fabric hats that cover head and neck. Great for under a bike helmet)… yes in July. Of course I had warmed up by Fremont bridge to forget the socks and by the second University Way stop light I removed the hat. On the way home I tried to figure out the average speed I need to achieve my 40-45 minute 12 mile triathlon leg (which I might not be doing, but swimming instead). I will have to increase my ave 14mph to 16-17mph. wow… I was not far off. I wanted to increase my 11 incline speed to 14 and 14 flat speed to 17 and 6 weeks to do it. I won’t think about the swimming yet.

I saw the Hawk biking to work this morning. Above Westlake road on Aurora bridge. A small hawk so I would say a good chance the Hawk is male. If he was silent I would not have noticed him. Awesome him sitting there under the bridge in a way stating whatever he was he is stronger than bridges, strong enough to outlast the crazy people. With the bridges, trees, and abundant food source (pigeons) I am surprised there are not more Hawks in Seattle.

For the record when I was 7 I went head to head against my second grade teacher trying to teach which words to capitalize. Yes the seasons (we no longer, or not suppose to. I do my favorite ones because they are important), no animals and yes Human. We no longer do human and I pointed out humans were animals (she replied this was English time not science and that was great she spoke it because if she wrote it I would have argued why English when talking about language and not the word language or science). At the end I told her I would capitalize the words important to me and she can mark what she wants. She replied who do I think I was to feel I can decide this and I answered the same as the people who decided for her only I am deciding for myself.

Made it to the bus early enough to have 30 minutes for our Patch. What a morning, Reddish sky last night’s sunset an Ocean sunrise! – that is fog blocked Bainbridge and beyond allowing me a morning imagining we lived on the coast. Full moon out this morning for our walk and summer warm. Walking to the bus and on the bus I listened to Inkheart. The scary dark part.

But then life pulled one of her yin/yang. A crow flew into a car just seconds before the bus turned at my stop. She was a big crow and her neck or back was broken. I did not know what to do so I left her. About 15 minutes later watering my garden some trashy git saw the crow — and booted her to see if she was dead then dumped her in the trash. I was so wrong maybe? Should I have moved her to die and lay in honor under a tree? My heart is breaking as I watered my garden when I noticed someone had placed a baby Patch by my new Shiso plant. He is blue and tiny but just like Patch. I was so sad to have lost my sunny yellow Patch Z and I bought for the garden and some one gave us a baby Patch.

Now the crow’s Mate (child?) is calling for her. He was calling on the roof across from my desk, then in a tree and on the sidewalk. Then he left and I could hear him calling as he traveled their territory, looking… With each call my heart breaks and I’m at work. Worse today is Tuesday a long workday. The day away from home, the day this grand Crow I enjoyed watching play on the wind, watching over her territory, flying the neighborhood is now she is gone. There are sentries positioned on roofs and trees looking and occasionally answering the searching Crow.

For the driver — this car and any car this person drives will suffer the same fate as this Grand Crow, the number being 1 car for each broken heart. As the driver sleeps this person’s night dreams will be filled with crows, the cry of this crow searching, the sentries answering back, the mate continuing to search. One week of nights for each broken heart. Allow this magic to heal the wounds of the innocent and protect the survivors. May this territory never suffer but be protected by this Grand Crow’s sacrifice.

The crow has circled back. There is no other crow chatter, only the calling crow and an occasional answer from one of the sentries. A cyclist just past and I realized cyclist do not back over their kids, murder wildlife, add to the evilness of life. The crow is making another circle, searching.

How will I make it through the day?

As the debate continues about health care in the USA the conflicting arguments are dividing between those who see human life as a business for profit and those who see human life as the foundation of this country. Life to be protected (fire/police), educated, even transportation (Metro/roads/highways/rails) and entertainment (sports and art). This is one of a small number of debates that can be seen in a simple yes/no format. Is life for profit?

On one side of the coin doctors and on the other their system of support. In this country that support is health insurance, pharmaceuticals, and food corporations. Any doctor to prescribe and strongly encourage simple changes in exercise and diet instead of drugs is committing career suicide.

A doctor’s ‘recommendation’ for tests, surgery, medical support equipment is sent to the insurance board that focuses on profit for stock holders. Each slip of paper is nothing but a numbered request form. It would be the most profit for Insurances to insist the doctors practice preventive measures before resorting to more invasive actions like drugs and surgery. Why don’t we see this?

Is it time alone? Time is money and in this debate time is money that ties to other money. The time it would take to go over the complete and physical activity diet of a patient then to discuss small changes for health. The time to point out YES these habits causes these illnesses and goes over the cost of not making the changes. The time needed to repeat the changes until the patient understands. The cost of hours instead of 15 minutes and no sales are rung up. On top of no profit would be the processed food corps lobbying against this move due to the impact to their profit. How strong is a country built on profit instead of health?

Follow the money. If we can be taught through advertisements and entertainment to live on processed foods and drugs we can self-learn how to question what we see and learn changes for health. Our lives are NOT for profit.

At least for me it is NOT hip to be round. As I peaked last winter with a 3 finger belly my body was sending me warnings I had to stop this weight gain. My knees were hurting, back promising to slip out with every turn, restless legs adding to my insomnia, and the traditional hot flashes with my menopause.

I had to be honest with ME and decide what foods were adding weight. I Love to eat, I enjoy my meals, food is a celebration. I could not live, even a short time, on a ‘diet.’ Luckily there are abundant tricks, if the questions are correct.

• I love my afternoon sandwich! Full of veges, onions, and — mayonnaise. The bread has some fat but is awesome! Dave’s Killer Bread is full of all organic greatness! The Vegannaise, that could be the culprit. I replaced the Vegannaise with Ume Plum Vinegar (found in the Asian section of most grocery stores) and loved the results.
• Bed time snacks & stories. Some nights I just love to eat late while enjoying a great book or DVD. Instead of grabbing another sandwich I now either have Miso soup or Ramen. I know, sounds fattening! But it must work because I lost weight.
• Butt snacks. Yes as a tech I call them Butt snacks, that is where these foods go.  Just don’t buy them. Put the money in a jar for the (YES, soon to be released!) New Windows 7 laptop or a decent road bike. I have found rolling veges in a tortilla with my fav Ume Plum Vinegar satisfying. I also enjoy adding leftover rice or jo jos (Potato wedges broiled in olive oil and spices! yum).
• Mochas! My morning Mocha, no one takes that from me. I did discover if I use only cocoa and a bit of sugar no soy milk I get a richer mocha and don’t miss the fat.

I asked myself how did I stay thin while attending Seattle Central Community College? I lived off of ramen, sushi, rice, and miso (and coffee). That is the diet I returned to and at last the weight stopped gaining and started to go down. With a 2 finger belly and a return to a more Asian diet I lost the hot flashes, insomnia, and restless legs at night caused by menopause. I ended all the negatives of menopause and losing weight without wasting a dime on diet fads/books/drugs or prescription meds.

It was time to get serious about how to get active again.

Play begins at the perimeters. June 2008 I was stressed, couldn’t sleep, and ate like I was 40. I entered my first year of menopause FAT.

This is my journey to get back in shape without doctors, drugs, or fads. Life should not be for profit. I hope you’ll join me as I turn my passion on the perimeters of aging in the USA.