Grandfather Clocks are Wonderfully Old-School

There’s something so traditional and majestic about a grandfather clock. Whenever I see one, I think about old Victorian homes or legendary castles. Like Wayne Manor in the Batman series. Grandfather clocks are from the days when craftsmanship and detail were important. Now people have digital clocks that are about as beautiful as metal and plastic. A grandfather clock just makes you feel more secure, as it chimes in to tell you when a new hour is starting. As the Rolling Stones say, “Time is On Our Side” – and a grandfather clock makes us feel like it’s really true.

Isagenix Day 13: Exorcising My Toxic Demons

Today I start Day 13 of my Isagenix 30-Day Program. This morning I weighed myself and I have lost about 15 pounds since I started the program almost two weeks ago. The cleanse part of the program has really started to make itself more evident. I think it takes several cleanse days to really start pushing those demonic toxins toward the door(s), and I can really start to feel them as they exit my body. These little devils are being exorcised and I am happy to say adios to them. I am starting to really look forward to my shakes every day. I’m now doing two shakes, eating snacks during the day and then having a really sensible, portion-controlled meal in the evening. Last night I had half a chicken breast with some salsa, a small salad, some baby carrots, a couple pieces of broccoli and some sugar-free, fat-free lime Jell-O for dessert. I went to bed completely satisfied.

Wally Westlake

Yesterday I interviewed a former MLB player named Wally Westlake. He's 87 years old. What a wonderful guy. Wally played in the late 40's and 50's for a variety of teams, most notably the Pittsburgh Pirates. I love interviewing these old retire players, listening to their stories and hearing about their careers.

Isagenix Day 11: Losing My Inner Jabba

I’m entering Day 11 of my 30-Day Isagenix Cleansing Program and the weight loss train just keeps rolling down the track. I did my two cleanse days on Tuesday and Wednesday while on the road for my job in Sacramento. It was a little tough, because I was in meetings both days, so I had to sneak out to my car and drink my stuff. And then I had to go to the bathroom all day too. But, it all worked out. I’m happy to report that I have now lost 13.5 lbs. and 2.5 inches in my waist since I started this program. It’s really an amazing thing! Sometimes I feel like I’ve lost a lot and then other times it’s like I can’t tell. It’s a gradual process – I compare it to an iceberg slowly melting. When I put on my clothes I can really tell that the poundage is dropping off. My pants are not as tight around the waist. I don’t feel like Jabba the Hut anymore. Hopefully pretty soon I’ll start looking like Luke Skywalker. Isagenix has been a huge success for me so far!

SF is a Lousy Town for Dogs to Live in and Here's Why

I am so tired hearing about how San Francisco is a great dog town. People are always talking about the 120,000 dogs in this city and how the people here just love and embrace canines. The fact of the matter is that it’s all just one big pile of rancid poo. San Francisco doesn’t welcome dogs. The seagulls and sea lions down at Fisherman’s Wharf have more rights. To be honest, the citizens and politicians in this area do everything they can to discourage people from owning dogs in SF. This latest story is just another example that illustrates how anti-pooch this city really is. The Animal Control and Welfare Commission is currently urging the SF Board of Supervisors to adopt legislation that will allow landlords to raise a tenant’s rent 5 percent per pet as an incentive for property owners to be more open to welcoming animals into their apartments or homes. Local dog owner Rex Reginald, a recent Los Angeles transplant, is behind the effort. Currently, it is so difficult to rent a place if you own dogs that many people are forced to give up their pets in order to find somewhere to live. If you do get to keep your dog, it usually means that you have to move into an area that’s sub par – unsafe, unclean or unkempt – just because you want to own a dog. Reginald came up with a proposal a while back that would have given a property-tax break for owners of rental apartments if they rented to pet owners. It was soundly rejected. The city should have stepped up and approved that bill, but like I said, people don’t like dogs in this stuck-up snooty place. The bleeding liberals in this town full of hypocrites enjoy the reputation of being an animal-friendly place, but when it comes time to put up or shut up, they’re all bark and no bite. You can have a dog, as long as it doesn’t bark, crap, go outside….or breath. Now landlords are going to be able to charge pet owners even more money and gouge people even further. Responsible dog owners are better tenants than most, as a rule. They go out of their way to make sure they don’t destroy the place and will always be certain that their living quarters are kept clean. They steam clean the carpets more often; they have maids in many cases – not to mention the security a dog on the premises provides from break-ins and burglaries. Kids cause more trouble and are more likely to damage property than any dog is. When was the last time you heard about a dog drawing on the walls with crayons or taking a dump down a heating vent? (Both things we did when we were kids, by the way.) Irresponsible dog owners give all dog owners a bad name, and that’s a shame. And landlords should be able to determine who they want to rent to without the city dictating the terms. But, let’s get down to the bone of the matter. San Francisco is NOT a dog-friendly town. It’s a money-friendly, income-friendly, tax payer-friendly, high rent-friendly, yuppie-friendly town. Dogs are second-class citizens here, and the sooner the media spin stops the better. If SF wants to take our pets out of the doghouse, they need to do something to make us believe that they care about them, instead of consistently lifting their legs on pet owners with more restrictions and added costs. And allowing landlords to raise dog owners’ rents is surely not the solution.

Day 8: I Stayed Away from the Fridge! And the TV!

Today is Day 8 of my Isagenix 30-Day Program. I knew my first weekend on the program would be tough, which it was. In the past, the weekend was when I really did the majority of my over-eating. I would go out for breakfast and/or lunch, gorge myself to the limit and then waddle around from refrigerator to TV; back and forth all weekend long. But, by losing some weight already, I’ve gotten a good jump on it and Isagenix has given me the confidence to extricate myself from my old ways.

On Saturday I did three shakes and on Sunday I did eat some food, pretty much for the first time all week. My fiancée, who is really being super supportive, made some great low-fat tuna burgers. I had two small burgers without bread, some sliced tomatoes and an apple. I also had some salsa to add a little zip to the burgers. Overall, I figure the meal was about 350 calories and it tasted great. I went to bed happy and slept well once again. I also did two one-hour walks down to Fisherman’s Wharf with the dogs.

Today I’m doing the three shakes again (One of them will have a banana in it) and tomorrow I’ll do another 2-day cleanse. This will be a big test because I have to go to Sacramento for my job and there will be a lot of food temptations to avoid. But, I know I can do it because I feel great and this program is really working.

I got an e-mail yesterday about a fellow Isagenix Program member who is doing a daily journal blog about his experiences with the program. His name is Zach and his blog is: http://zach4life.livejournal.com/. I look forward to reading his journal to help me. Knowing someone is in the same boat as I am will undoubtedly be an inspiration. Zach’s goal is to lose 180 lbs. by June 30th. Wow! That’s an amazing goal, but I wish him the best of luck. With Isagenix, I’m beginning to believe that anything is possible!

Market Research Predicates Our Future

I never realized how huge and widespread the market research industry is. Angelina and I have been doing a lot of focus groups and testing products throughout the Bay Area lately. The best thing about it is that they usually pay very well. Market research companies spend a lot of time, money and effort to gather data on what people like and dislike and why. Trends in food, clothing, technology, music, movies, books, medicine and more – market research companies set the tone for what we’ll be wearing, eating and doing to entertain ourselves in the future.

Losing Your Hair? Don't Despair!

Luckily, I haven’t lost my hair at the ripe middle age of 48. Some folks aren’t as fortunate. That’s why Hair Replacement technology is something they should be happy to know is very advanced and quite affordable. I have several friends who are losing their hair. I’m not going to mention their names but they know who they are. When you get into your late 40’s and early 50’s, pattern baldness is another on of the unfortunate things you have to look forward to. You figure the carpets in your home start to go after a few years, so it just makes sense that your hair is going to start falling out eventually. Fear not, baldies – Hair Replacement has come a long way, baby!

If You Don't Have Powell Furniture, You're Missing Out!

The first Powell furniture was introduced into the furniture market in 1968 and has developed into the one of the best brands of furniture that you’ll find anywhere on the planet. Powell offers a tremendous selection of amazing products that are ideal for people who want the very best at great prices. Powell furniture is really wonderful, high-quality furniture that will last a lifetime. For some of the finest furniture in the entire world, the name to always remember is Powell. Put it in your home and just enjoy, baby! That’s what life is all about anyway, isn’t it?

Isagenix Day Six: Feeling Stronger Every Day

It’s early on Day Six of My Isagenix 30-day Program. Yesterday when I was out walking my dogs, I heard the song by Chicago called “Feeling Stronger Every Day.” I couldn’t relate more. The energy you get from this program is absolutely unbelievable and I truly am feeling strength and vigor I didn’t have before. Things that I’ve been putting off, like washing my car, doing laundry, writing letters and thank you cards, working out and fixing things in the house – now I’m doing them because I’ve got this new surge of energy thanks to Isagenix.

Isagenix is so much more than a weight loss solution. It’s a nutritional and cleansing plan that puts things into your body that you’re probably not getting if you’re living the way most people on the rest of the planet do. I’m really beginning to get excited about this program – in five full days I’ve lost just over 8 pounds!

At this rate, I’ll be down at least 50 by the time I’ve completed the 90-day program. But, I’m not going to rush it or let my expectations get too high. The way I look at it is, it took me a long time to gain all this luggage, so if it takes a while to get rid of it, that’s just fine. I’ve decided to do a more accelerated version of the Isagenix Program – I’m doing the 9-day Program and drinking 3 shakes a day rather than eating a 400-600 calorie meal, at least for the first 10 days – and so far the results are amazing. I eat a few snacks every day, mostly organic, unsalted almonds and organic apple slices, and I’m never hungry.

I thought I’d be stressed out trying to make so many changes overnight (I stopped drinking alcohol, I quit smoking recently and now I’m not eating the fat-filled diet I used to enjoy), but so far it’s been surprisingly easy.