Weight Update

Even though I am much skinnier, people still have a hard time getting past the whole "two head thing"

August 1st  242 lbs (BMI of 32.8) classified obese with a risk factor for high blood pressure, heart disease, adult onset diabetes, hypertension etc and etc.

November 29 194 lbs (BMI of 26.3) classifed slightly overweight with all all of the above risk factors either eliminated or seriously diminished

Total weight loss to date= 48 lbs.  

When I hit 184 lbs I will have fallen into the "normal" category with a BMI of 24.9

Stay tuned......................

Thanksgiving

Here now from the home office in Valencia, CA the top ten reasons why Garrett is thankful...

Number 10:  This year I don't have to be put on the spot to announce what I am thankful for like some performing monkey

Number 9: TV Marathons

Number 8: The Rain

Number 7:  Health

Number 6: My networked music system

Number 5: My great job

Number 4: My House

Number 3: Sleep

Number 2: I am an American

Number 1: Tasha and my boys

Mark, Brett, and I

So we all hung out together a few evenings ago, for the first time in 5 years.  It was fun!

Happy birthday Paul!!

"I'm just a Patsy"

(JFK in the last moments of his life)

I would be remiss if I didn't write a post on the 45 anniversary of the JFK assassination.  Oswald shot Kennedy 45 years ago from the Texas School book Depository building and one insignificant malcontent changed the course of our history.  

When I was in high school I became obsessed with the conspiracy, first believing in the wild theory that there was at least one more shooter than Oswald, then disbelieving it after interviewing Bill Sayers dad, a former FBI agent who was in charge of the Jack Ruby aspect.  

Then of course I completely believed again in the conspiracy after Oliver Stone's movie came out.....Then a few years later I read Gerald Posners definitive "Case Closed" which uses meticulous reasoning and primary research to debunk all conspiracy theories.  Also 5 years ago ABC had the definitive documentary which proves once again that Lee Oswald acted alone.  

Anyways, I need to get myself to Dealy Plaza one day, I want to spend the whole day, walking around the depository, the grassy knoll, the trains tracks, etc.   

One more thought....I can no longer stomach watching the Zapruder film....they replay it 3 times in "JFK" (he went back and to the left because he had addisons disease and was strapped in to a back brace the size of an ironing board)  also they need to lock down the pictures of the President on the slab that anyone can easily access from the internet.  It is in an insult to Caroline and the rest of the family, the pictures are sickening....  anyways....45 years ago folks....where were you?  (I was negative 10 years old)

Garrett's Top Five Favorite Albums to listen to.

(These do not necessarily mean my favorite groups or artists, but simply my favorite albums to put on...even in this Itunes world I still like complete albums)  These are non-greatest hits..regular albums

Number 5: So by Peter Gabriel

I have listened to this album forever, it is Peter Gabriel's best and every song is a classic

Number 4:  Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd

Classic, stayed on the charts for longer then any other album in history, a complete concept, sheer brilliance and an absolute masterpiece.  

Number 3: Nothing Like the Sun by Sting

I have worn a hole in my CD player and later my ipod/Iphone listening to this album.  I'll never get tired of it....it is fantastic

Number 2: Selling England by the Pound by Genesis

No other album in the world sounds like this one, it has a totally unique sound, listening to it is like stimulating my brain with auditory oxy-contin.

Number 1: The Joshua Tree by U2

There aren't enough superlatives in the English language for this album.  From the gradual build up in "Where the Streets Have No Name" all the way to the end, it is glorious, every second is the absolute peak of brilliance.  

P.S.  What are your favorite albums to listen to?  

Happy Birthday to My Mother and my Cousin

Happy Birthday Mom!!!

Happy Birthday Kim!!

Concerts

(Peter Gabriel--best concert I have ever seen)

I have had the good fortune in my life to see the following concerts

Rush (6 times)

Sting (5 times)

The Police (4 times)

Dave Matthews Band (2 times)

The Rolling Stones

The Who

Pink Floyd

U2 (twice)

Tom Petty (3 times)

Peter Gabriel (twice)

Brian Wilson

Genesis

Dido(opened for sting)

Annie Lennox(opened for sting)

Pearl Jam (opened for the Stones)

INXS

Yes

Neil Diamond (twice)

Oingo Boingo

Michael Jackson

Paul Simon

Steve Winwood (opened for Tom Petty)

3 Trash Trucks every Friday

I know many of you loved my last post about global warming, so I thought I would write a semi-similar one about Waste Management (Also because I am watching season 3 of the Sopranos)

Everyone in my neighborhood pays WM about 52 dollars every two months for 3 cans (yard clippings, regular trash, and recycle)  And as such we have 3 different trucks coming to our neighborhood spewing diesel fumes into the air.  The question is why?  And I think part of the answer is so that we can feel good about ourselves.  I have submitted to recycling my diet dr pepper cans because it pleases Tasha.  But what is the cost of that recycling?  We burn X amount more in fossil fuels because of the extra trucks, and the recycling plants.  Also we use X amount more water if we wish to rinse out our Pasta Sauce jars to recycle them.  But it makes us feel good.  

Similar deal with electric cars, we feel good about the fact we aren't burning gasoline, but when we plug the car into the wall, the energy comes from fossil fuel spewing plants.  Maybe we should build more nuclear and T Boone Pickens wind farms.  

Goodness knows I don't have all the answers folks, ya know I am just one more blogger in his pajamas in his parent's basement.  

"Do you think the Dodgers will sign Manny?"

Frank McCourt will not sign Manny Ramirez.....the offer from Coletti was merely for show.  Manny could care less where he plays, he just wants to make the most total dollars possible.   I will be shocked if Manny resigns.  But it would sure be awesome!  I think the Dodgers sign CC Sabathia.  

Veterans Day

To all of our Veterans...Thank you

Happy Birthday Jenny!

Today is my Step-Sister Jennys' birthday.....so happy birthday to Jenny!

Telling FOX NEWS report on Sarah Palin

Here is a FOX NEWS yes folks a FOX NEWS report on Palin....it is very telling, she didn't even know Africa was a continent!!!  Absolutely amazing!!

Abraham Lincoln and Tim Russert

Two people of equal stature cut from an equal cloth....one saved our Country from splintering in two and issued the "Emancipation Proclamation"    Many Historians regard him as the greatest President in History, and one of the most significant and important people in recorded History.  

And another was really good at interviewing political figures and reporting political events.

Two People, folks, two equals, men of similar ilk.

Michael Crichton is Dead

Very Very sad news I just heard about 2 minutes ago, that one of my favorite authors and one of the most successful pop-fiction writers in history has died of cancer.  I can remember being curled up in my dorm room on a cold rainy winter weekend in Chico being fascinated with reading "Jurassic Park"  I LOVED his books, he had such a unique style where he could entertain you with fascinating science, and science fiction while entertaining you at the same time.  In fact just two days ago there was a story on 60 minutes about melding humans with computers, and I told Tasha about the "The Terminal Man" which he wrote in the early 70's about a man with a computer chip in his head who found a way to stimulate the pleasure centers of his brain, and as such did so obsessively.  He wrote about genetic cloning, global warming myths, time travel, artificial intelligence, how the media loves to keep us in fear, he created the TV show "ER" He had a super high level of intelligence.  Anyways...he was awesome, and I am very sad to hear this news.

With President-Elect Obama, history is made

Tonight I saw something that I never thought I would see happen in my lifetime.  America has elected a black man to be our president.  It has been an amazing campaign that saw him defeat Hillary in one of the closest primary elections in recent memory.  He grabbed it right out of Hillary's hand in fact, defying the political machine and jumping his place in line.  And with his victory over McCain, Obama has defeated a great man, someone who I have always admired and respected, and who should have been our president in 2000.  

This is an incredible step forward for the evolution of our culture and race relations, Only 143 years ago black people were slaves in the south, then indentured servants, thought of as sub-human, and now fast forward to 2008 and we have Obama who is now the most powerful man in the world.  I can't believe it actually happened.  In fact Tasha and the boys came home from Awana at about 7:55, and I knew the networks would make the call right at 8 o'clock.  I told the boys to remember this moment as we watched Wolf Blitzer call it just after 8...

Congratulations to President-Elect Obama!!

Happy Birthday Susan!!

Today is Susans Birthday...so happy birthday to Susan!!!

Grabbaggar voting guide

(I am only highlighting the big ones ) 

Obama for President (all American Citizens)

McKeon for Congress (if you live in his district)

(Statewide initiatives if you live in California)

Yes on 1A

Yes on 2

yes on 3

No on 4

No on 5

Yes on 6

Yes on 7

NO ON 8!!

yes on 9

Yes on 10

yes on 11

Yes on 12

And if you live in LA County..

Yes on R

I encourage everyone to get out there and vote!!!!

Ben Affleck on SNL

Ben Affleck was hilarious last night on SNL, he did a dead on impression of Alec Baldwin, a German Coat Salesman, a black guy with cornrows, etc.....but he did a stunningly, brutally hilarious impression of Keith Olberman, I was amazed at how funny this one was.  This Season of SNL has been as funny as the show has ever been, and with this show, Ben Affleck has vaulted himself alongside Alec Baldwin, Tom Hanks, and John Goodman as best hosts of SNL ever...enjoy the Olberman sketch!

Congrats Tasha!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tasha completed her first Marathon today!  She did fantastic....look at the big smile on her face!!  Matt ran with her the final 8.2 miles which was a big encouragement to her.  Tasha you are an inspiration to all of us!!!!  I love you!

Wells Fargo Bill Pay

I was tooling around on Wells Fargo online today, and decided to sign up for "bill pay" This lets you pay your bills automatically through your checking account.  Pretty convenient and all right?  (Yes I know this is not a new thing, I just never have signed up for it)  As I was looking at it I thought great, this is easier than writing checks, and I signed up and payed the ole water bill today for my first bill.  

And then you know what happens next folks?  I get an e-mail from wells fargo that says "Thank you for signing up for bill pay, this service is free for customers with qualifying accounts, all others it is 7 bucks a month"  Guess what a qualifying account is?  Keeping 5 grand in my CHECKING account, not savings, not brokerage, but CHECKING!!  

Not happy folks, I guess the moral of the story is......."Caveat Emptor"...which in latin means "There is no free lunch, or bill pay from Wells"