Your Veggies

I admit it. I don't eat as many vegetables as I should. There are days I barely have any. I think it's because I didn't like a lot of them growing up. Lately I have been making an effort to eat more plants.

I must admit, the more veggies I eat the better I feel.

We all know eating more plants is a good idea. You can find everything you need to be healthy by eating plants. However, I must admit there are a lot of non-plant foods that I like to eat. many are healthy, all are tasty. I find if I don't keep the ratio reasonable, the next day I feel sluggish.

For about three years I was eating salad as part of my lunch many of my workdays. There was good salad available in the same building that I worked so I filled myself with food that grows out of the ground. Now, through a change in employment I eat lunch in different places and I don't eat salad.

A change in your daily routine doesn't mean I shouldn't eat healthy, I just need to find more ways to eat a lot of vegetables. Don't worry, I'm not going to turn my back on the goodness of meat and cheese. That's crazy talk but I really need to be more consistent at eating my veggies.

Now I have found a lot of veggies that, as an adult, I like. Generally, I find the more I eat raw the more I like like it. Finding ways you like to eat healthy food will result in me eating more veggies. I need to embrace this and do it more often. 

Waking up the day after you eat a proper amount of plants always feels better. I always feel like I can take on the world. I always know this but a bit too often I don't follow my own advice.

The best part is I can always make a change and eat better and I will continue to do so. I will slip up, I will still probably eat a giant pile of chicken wings from time to time but I will do it less often and eat better more often. That way I will feel better more often and life is always better when you wake up feeling good.

Make It Loud

Last night I went to Ottawa Bluesfest. Slash was the early performer on the main stage. In my humble opinion Slash is the best rock and roll guitar player to walk the face of the earth. He is unique. Within about four notes you know it's him, even if you don't know the song. He loves what he does and it shows. It looks like he is genuinely having fun when he is up on stage playing guitar. He doesn't do backing vocals. He just plays and it's loud.

The headline act of the night was the Barenaked Ladies. They have been around since I was in elementary school. I wouldn't buy a ticket to go see them but they are a part of the Canadian consciousness and I was looking forward to seeing them.

As happy as I was to see Slash, I was equally disappointed with the Barenaked Ladies. I was most disappointed that it wasn't loud enough.

I don't expect it to be Motorhead loud but live music must be loud.

At Ottawa Bluesfest, there are concurrent shows going on. One of the smaller stages, known as the River Stage, is located behind the main stage. There were several instances that the Barenaked Ladies were being overpowered by the act on the River Stage. I was having a conversation with a friend, at normal conversation levels. 

At one point I even thought to myself, I wish everyone would stop talking so I can hear the music better.

Yes, you read that correctly. I was at a music event and and I was having trouble hearing the music.

One of the things I really like about live music is it takes over your life. It is in your face and becomes a singular existence. You lose yourself in the moment because you have to. All your problems are suspended because you can only focus on the music.

The Barenaked Ladies didn't give me that experience and I felt cheated.

We did walk over to the River Stage and catch the end of July Talk. They were loud and impressive. If you get a chance, look them up, they are on iTunes and I'm downloading their album as I write this post.

I like my music loud and I want it to be an all enthralling experience. I mean no respect to the Barenaked Ladies but they did not give me what I was looking for, but wow, I loved Slash and that made my night great.

What Does it Take?

Rob Ford has returned to work after a stint of rehab. Along with a recent election in Ontario I have been thinking about the life of a politician. There are a lot of facets to political life. It is very public life but the hardest parts are behind the scenes.

A few days back I was also thinking about my brief foray into the world of car sales and everything I saw in that world.

I'm sure you are wondering what these two may have in common.

If I can't get there by acting with honesty and integrity, I don't want to end up there.

A lot of people get into politics with very good intentions but quickly realize that if you want to have the opportunity to do more than sit on a back bench, you need to make deals you don't want to make. The people who control this system have thrived in the very same system so there is almost no chance for change. Why would anyone change a system that has served them well?

I saw the same thing in car sales. It can be a downright slimy game and the people who are successful like it the way it is. It gives them the opportunity to make money at the expense of others.

So, if you have to be underhanded to get to the position, why would anyone expect it to change once you get to the position?

For me, the more I have acted with honesty and integrity, the more satisfying the results become. I have a greater feeling of accomplishment when it is done right. I feel better about myself and don't feel like I used a short cut. If you can only be successful by taking out the opposition at the knees instead of facing them head on, you are not cut out for what lies ahead. If you are up against me, bring your best because you will need it. If your best includes trying to take me out at the knees, go ahead. Many people have tried that over the years and they find out they are not very successful. Just because I make acting with honestly and integrity a priority, I'm not watching out for those who don't and I will diffuse it. That's the problem with acting in an underhanded manner, once the competition is on to your scheme, you are finished. You have nowhere to go and are obviously not in a position to do it right.

Everyone will live their life how they think it will make them successful. I'm try to do everything with integrity and it works out for me.