Whetstone Weekend: Part III Oaks in the Forest

[pjcomp]

It’s all in the genes. For a long and healthy life, choose your parents wisely.

[Bob Knows]

I do a recommended starvation, often. I fast around three times a year for a various amounts of time. There is a spiritual component in there, too. I don't eat until noon often and daily, I have a smoothie in the morning, until afternoon. It keeps me cleaned out on many ways. There is a positive difference, which points to healthier benefits and longevity. No exact prescription. I make sure that  get strong nutrition. Dr. Gabriel Cousins is my guide on this. I've read some of the referenced research connected with this theory, with his lead. As hunter gatherers, we would have less regularity. 
Jbee

A while ago there was a magazine called "Prevention" that published much of the same advice about nutrition, healthy living, exercise, etc.   One night the publisher was on late night television explaining to the host how his natural and healthy lifestyle was going to allow him to live a lot longer than the TV host.  It may have been the Dick Cavett show which played opposite of "Tonight." (It has been a while)  Late night TV was still being done live and in front of a studio audience.  The Prevention Magazine publisher had just finished his explanation of ways to live long by leading a healthy life style when he suffered a massive heart attack and fell over dead on the stage.  After some seconds of stunned silence they found that there was a doctor in the audience, but there was nothing that could be done to save him. 

This story shows that we just never know.  Life is a risk.  Live each and every day as if it is our last.  Suck all the pleasure out of life while we can.  There are no promises of tomorrow.  Carpe Diem!
 

[jbeegoode]

I've got the good genes. But it isn't all genes. I had a friend who came from that Russian area where people will live 125 years. He abused his body, obese, everything and dropped dead in his kitchen with heart attack at just eighty-five. (WHat's 'ol Jbee gettin' at???) It is more to optimize a sense of health and youthful dexterity, to ward off the diseases that get to people in a modern age.

I lived most of my life on edge, as you say Bob, smoking two packs of Camel regulars, drinking day and night, fun drugs, risk taking and every so often someone sees me from back in those days and says how they can't believe that I'm still alive. I'm usually healthier than them, but I know that it was catching up with me. A change had to happen, and now I feel and function so much better. With the age thing, I have to take time out and work at it harder, but life quality is so very much better.
Jbee

[eyesup]

We have books. We have books, everywhere. Every room in the house has books except the laundry and bath rooms. I don’t understand why people don’t like books. Also, I probably have as many albums as I do books. Albums take up less space though.

I have mentioned before that I don’t shop. I buy. I know what I want and when I go into a store I get that, buy it and leave. Books and records? No way. That’s the only thing I do shop for. I can spend hours in a used book or record shop. I had a used books/records shop in Houston I frequented. It was in an old supermarket down in the Montrose district. Probably 15-20,000 sq.ft. of used books and records.
Browsing. Bliss!

Duane

P.S. Maps. I love maps too.

[eyesup]

Wine helps to improve digestion, especially red wine. It has antioxidants in it. Good to help lower cholesterol.

It’s like hearing those public service announcements where they interview that 185 yr. old lady in France that has had a cigarette and a glass of red wine everyday of her life. I agree with pjcomp, it’s probably genetic. Some people can do it, some can’t.

Duane

[eyesup]

Fasting is a form of meditation. It keep you focused you on what you have decided to concentrate on.

Duane

[BlueTrain]

Alas! There are few used bookstores anymore. Even the old one at the beach (Outer Banks of N.C.) is gone. Even all the army surplus stores are gone, too, which is even worse.

I barely understand fasting (the point, that is, not what it is). But I also don't understand prayer, meditation and a whole bunch of other things, including how I can sit here at the kitchen counter, fueled by coffee, and do this and a so-called laptop computer. Works better on a table anyway.

[John P]

Now I'm thinking of this old cartoon, by Charles Addams (of Addams Family fame), from the New Yorker in the 1970s some time.

The caption's a little difficult to see (if you have middle-aged eyes, ha ha). It says "To...hell...with...yogurt".

[eyesup]

There are still a couple of used book shops here. They are fewer and smaller. The ones still around tend to be older, established and well known. The “Amber Unicorn” is one that was old and here when I arrived 32 years ago.

Still, Alive and Kickin’.

The fast, BT, is to remind you to think, meditate or concentrate on whatever you are focused on. Every time you notice that you are hungry, it reminds you why you are doing that. It’s a personal activity equivalent of wearing a religious token. A cross or other symbol, for instance. Although it doesn’t have to be religious in nature.

Also, not everyone that intentionally thinks on an issue or problem needs to meditate or fast. I can sit and think on a problem or even do it while I’m busy with something else. I’ve never fasted, but I might find it helpful.

Who knows?

Duane

[eyesup]

I like that one, John!
Anytime The Addams Family is mentioned, I laugh! I always remember in one of the shows, the camera switched to Lurch (Ted Cassidy), leaning out of the top window on the cupola with what appeared to be a large butterfly net.

He looks directly at he camera and says, “Pterodactyls!”
Of course!

Duane

[Bob Knows]

Mention of the Addams Family and nudism together reminds me of my naked trip to the cemetery.   Yes, I know it has only one "d".  But all the same....

[nuduke]

We have books. We have books, everywhere. Every room in the house has books except the laundry and bath rooms. I don’t understand why people don’t like books.

We used to have rooms full of books and decided to slim down our 'library' when we moved house in 2015.  Mrs N and I reflected why we both considered the collecting of books to be such a desirable object.  It dawned upon me that the accumulation of books is a middle class affectation that suggests you are 'well read' i.e. the number of books is in direct proportion to how intelligent and knowledgeable you are!  People with books are the people to know, perhaps.  We liked the message that we were a bit academic.

Mrs N had to agree that for us this was probably true and we both reacted against the shallowness of that.

This realisation spurred us on to more ruthless editing of the book collection.  Nevertheless it was surprising how many books did mean something more to us than just the information or entertainment they contained or their 'lifestyle' value.  So many books carried a connection to some part of life or an assortment of memories.  I kept a couple of children's books that my kids had enjoyed me reading to them.  Those books had happy times with the kids adsorbed into the pages and reminded me of it very strongly.  I kept my text books from my A Level metalwork because that was a nice time in my life and I loved doing the metalwork.  No harm in a few books after all provided you are not keeping them for appearances alone.  We chucked out or gave away about 2/3 of the books and felt cleansed and happier without them.  Our collection continues once again to increase, however!
John

[BlueTrain]

I visited relatives in southern West Virginia a few weeks ago. Nary a book in sight.

We have too many books and too much other stuff, too. I keep telling my wife that if we ever move, we need a place with a barn.