January 6th, 2010

As you may have noticed, my blogging all but stopped over the last couple months. There are several reasons for this. First, I started a new business called Sales Energetics, LLC where I am helping sellers and entrepreneurs eliminate their internal blocks so they can maximize their external results. Additionally, I’ve been spending a lot of time with my special lady-friend. So much, in fact, that I asked her to marry me and wouldn’t you believe she said, “Yes!”

I thought you might enjoy the story, so here is a full account of the occasion:

After a regular day of shopping at the mall, I dropped Jamie off at the hair salon. An hour later, I picked her up and she asked if we could go to Banana Republic. I said, “Sure, we’ve just got to get on the highway.” About a half-hour later she asked, “I thought you said it was in Lansing, we’re almost to Brighton & Howell. Where are you taking me!?”

She then guessed we were going to the Outlet Mall, but we passed that exit. Then she became convinced we were headed to the 12 Oaks Mall in Novi, but I took the exit toward Ann Arbor. “Are we going to the Briarwood Mall?” she asked. Every time she asked I would alternate replies like, ‘I wish I could tell you.’ ‘If only I knew’ and ‘I’m not at liberty to discuss that information’.

When we eventually passed the exit for the Briarwood Mall, she really started to break, “Where ARE you taking me!!?” “I don’t know Baby, but I think it’s going to be a while, so here’s some food in case you get hungry….” I then pulled a big bag with dinner for us out of the back seat that I cooked the night before. As we said grace, I added, “Lord, if you know where we’re going, could you PLEASE let us know!?” That was a really fun one because then I could ask, “So, did He say anything yet?”

When we arrived in Ohio and I took the exit toward Toledo, she started to guess, “Oh, I know, we’re going to Mass at the Cathedral aren’t we??” But she then realized we just ate dinner, so going straight to Mass wouldn’t have worked into that equation because you don’t eat for an hour before Holy Communion. On top of that, when we passed that exit, I made a big deal of it saying, “Well, if I remember correctly, THAT’S the exit for the Cathedral, so if we were going there, I think we should have gotten off here and turned left, so who knows what’s going on??”

This really drove her crazy and only a few minutes later, it was time to exit. I started to get a little nervous because I remembered they have huge signs directing you to the zoo and I knew that’d be a dead giveaway. Luckily, when we passed the first sign, she was looking down taking care of our food. The same thing happened when we passed two more signs.

Finally, we pulled in and paid for parking. She still had no clue where we were and asked, “Why are all these cars here on New Year’s Eve? Where are we?” I directed her attention to the sign in front of us to the right and she read, “Merry Christmas…Welcome to the…Toledo Zoo???”

As an aside, Jamie LOVES animals. It’s absolutely adorable to ride in a car with her because every time you drive past a farm, she will excitedly exclaim, “Oh my gosh look at the horses, they’re SO CUTE!!” And if it’s wintertime, you get bonus cuteness when she adds, “Awww, look at their little sweaters, they must be cold…”

So, parked, got our tickets, and walked inside. That is when the night really began. As we came across the pedestrian bridge and got our first look of the whole park lit up, it was simply outstanding. Gorgeous lights for as far as you could see on a calm, clear, winter night, I really couldn’t have asked for a better night for what was about to go down. Walking down the bridge into the park, there was a split second when I felt myself starting to get a little misty-eyed, so I thought, “Come on James, pull it together man!” I did and the night moved on.

We went into the reptile house and I was simultaneously freaked out by the huge snakes and the uneasiness in my stomach from being so nervous. I covered it up nicely, though, and Jamie was none the wiser.

After the reptile house, we started making our way to the aquarium, but on the way we encountered a HUGE light display that was synchronized to a medley of Christmas music. We sat and watched the lights and she said, “James, I’m SO in love with you!” I replied, “I love you SOOO much too Baby!” and in my head, I thought, “You have no clue what’s about to happen.”

We moved on and into the aquarium. At this point, I knew we only had an hour left in the park, so I was trying to keep us moving through their very large and very impressive display of waterly creatures from around the world at a decent pace. Then, at 8:30 p.m., as we were looking at a big green eal, an announcement came on, “We hope you’ve enjoyed your time at the Toledo Zoo. The Zoo will be closing in 30 minutes.” I knew it was time to get moving, but Jamie said, “Come on, take a picture, I want to send it to my sister.” As calmly as I could, I said, “Well, we really should get moving, there’s LOTS more of the park to see and I want to see it all.” She didn’t argue and we came out the back door of the aquarium.

We bundled back up and continued our walk, only to turn the corner and find an 80-foot tall Christmas tree with 32,000 lights on it. I said, “Baby, we should get a picture in front of the tree.” “Ok,” she replied. So, I snagged a young guy walking by with his wife and daughter. The tree was so big, they had to stand a few feet back to get the whole thing in the shot, which really worked out for me. Jamie went to get in place for the picture and I leaned into the guy, handed him the camera and said very discreetly, “I’m about to propose.” I then realized I just unlocked a new dimension in the Man Code I had yet to see as he gave me a serious look and nodded his head as if to say, “I got this brother!”

I went back to get into the shot with Jamie, but he asked, “Wait, how to I get it to turn on?” I went back, showed him, and added very quietly, “Get a couple good ones.” Again, very confidently, he looked me in the eye and gave me a strong-subtle nod. It happened so quick and Jamie was too busy getting ready for the picture, so she didn’t see anything.

We got in place for the picture and he snapped it. I asked, “Wait, can we get one more.” “Yeah!” he replied. I then turned to her, opening my jacket to pull out the ring, and got on one knee. I’m not exactly sure what I said, but I believe it was somewhere along the lines of, “Jamie, I love you and I want to be with you forever. Will you marry me?” She screamed nodding her head and I asked, “Is that a ‘Yes’?” And she yelled, “YES!”

I jumped up, hugged her, and kissed her as a crowd of on-lookers began to applaud. I got the camera back from the guy and he and his wife congratulated us.

Our last stop was the rainforest greenhouse next to the tree where we sat on a bench in the back corner and I came clean with her on the whole occasion. I told her the story of the ring–which is another miracle story–and told her about how I planned it all out and asked her Mother for her hand in marriage. That was when she really started to cry.

The woman working there was just awesome. She took our pictures, shared our joy, and even gave Jamie a big hug as they rejoiced in a very special moment of feminine bonding that up to that point I had only see in movies and television.

As we wound our way out of the park, I was filled with the greatest sense of joy and peace, SO thankful that everything worked out so perfectly. Just before the bridge to go back across to the parking lot, there were speakers playing Christmas music, so we stopped and had our first dance as an engaged couple. Word must have spread throughout the park at that point because everyone walking by was congratulating us and calling us “Love Birds.”

As if that wasn’t perfect enough, we drove back to Ann Arbor, calling our families, and ended up at a HUGE New Year’s party where tons of our friends were. The first group of four girls was probably my favorite as they said, “Oh my gosh, you changed your hair, it’s so gorgeous,” and Jamie replied, sticking out her hand, “Yeah, but I’ve got something more exciting than that to talk about.” They all screamed and the madness continued.

We counted down, kissed (LOTS), and then said good-bye to everyone so we could make it back to Lansing at a decent time. I thought we would head straight home, but Jamie asked, “Do you want to go to the adoration chapel?” I couldn’t believe I didn’t think of it myself, but I very happily said, “YES! Let’s take our marriage to Jesus.” She said, “Yeah, take it to Jesus before facebook, that’s our motto!” LOL!

We arrived at the IHM Adoration Chapel at around 2:30 a.m. Beautiful oversized snowflakes filled the still night sky as we entered. We kissed quietly a couple times and then opened the door holding hands tightly as we approached Jesus and knelt down. After a few seconds, I laid face-down praising Him for everything He has given me in Jamie. As she continued to kneel on the floor, I got up and into the kneeler on her right. She leaned her head on my arm and we locked eyes. I wish I had words to describe that gaze. Kneeling in front of the Blessed Sacrament–JESUS!–with my future wife and sharing that love for each other in a simple smile that spoke volumes–it was amazing.

Throughout 2009, my mantra was, “The greater the cross, the greater the glory!” By this, I mean, the harder things get, the better off you are. That may sound crazy, but just think about it for a moment. Who suffered more than anyone in human history? Jesus. Where is Jesus today? Sitting at the right hand of the Father. Next to Jesus, who suffered most? Obviously His Mother Mary who watched Him be brutally tortured and executed. Where is she now? She’s the Queen of Heaven. So, as things got harder and harder with family issues, money issues, nutritional issues because of money issues, the more the pendulum swung into the pain, the more confident I became.

Well, it’s 2010 now and the glory has begun! I’m going to marry the girl of my dreams and to top it all off, just before I picked her up from the salon, the BIGGEST account I’ve been working on getting into that will launch my business into another galaxy called and said, “If we’re going to do this, we’re going all in.”

What a phenomenal beginning to a year that is sure to be the best of my life and a decade that will take Jamie and I places we could have never imagined possible.

PRAISE HIS HOLY NAME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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November 3rd, 2009

I really don’t have all the answers when it comes to solving the obesity epidemic. It’s easy to say that people need to break free from their sugar addictions and take full responsibility for their lives, but exactly how we can convince individuals to do that across society is still open for debate.

Some people think, like tobacco, soda should be taxed to the point that nobody can justify drinking it any more. On one hand, I can understand this argument because smoking has declined since it started being taxed so heavily. However, I know plenty of people who still smoke and I don’t know anyone who specifically quit because of the tax.

If you’ve read this blog long enough, you also know I’m a huge fan of Ron Paul, so I have some Libertarian leanings. As a result, it’s always difficult for me to justify raising any taxes and encouraging a “Nanny State” society. At the same time, it seems that we pay either way. If we do nothing and obesity rates continue to climb, healthcare costs will rise exponentially and everyone will pay. Yet, if we tax soda, yes taxes go up, but only those who choose to drink the poison are affected. You can see my dillema.

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October 31st, 2009

I just uploaded my first ever YouTube video and I’m thrilled! Please, check it out, leave some comments and share it with everyone you know. I’m trying to get to page 1 on Google’s “Sugar Addiction” search and having a video with plenty of hits will certainly help out!

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October 29th, 2009

According to CBC News, new findings from Yale University show, “…that cereals marketed directly to children have 85 per cent more sugar, 65 per cent less fibre and 60 per cent more sodium than cereals marketed to adults.”

It could be easy to dismiss these finding as a blatant statement of the most obvious facts, but I think it’s extremely helpful to get the raw numbers laid out like this. Maybe people will start to wake up and realize the garbage they are feeding their children.

It can also be easy to push back and dismiss these findings saying, “Come on, sugary cereal is just a part of growing up.” However, scientists recently demonstrated, getting hooked on sugary foods can permanently alter your taste buds. I am certain that had I not been raised on Frosted Flakes and Rice Krispes with a cup of sugar poured on top, I would probably would not have grown up to make cookies and cream milk shakes that filled the entire blender several times a day. And, if that were the case, I also probably would not have ended up with a crazy roller coaster weight problem.

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Tags: Target: Children
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October 28th, 2009

Washington Wizard’s All-Star forward Caron Butler used to drink at least six 12-ounce cans of Mountain Dew every day. He finally decided to break his sugar addiction at the beginning of the summer and then he lost 11 pounds.

Butler chronicled his experience blogging for NBA.com.

“A lot of people don’t know I’m a Mountain Dew addict so I guess this is my confession.

To try and give this up was CRAZY for me! I was going through withdrawals. I was in the bed sweating. My wife would turn over in the bed and ask “Are you OK?” .Honestly, those first two weeks without The Dew was the roughest two weeks of my life. I’m talking headaches, sweats and everything. Before that I drank at least six 12 ounce Mountain Dews a day.

It was so bad at one point that I had to have a cold one right there at the night stand before I went to bed. I had to get the coasters and let it drip a lil’ bit and just have it waiting on me. Come 2 a.m.., I’d wake up out of my sleep, I’d pop one open and hear the fizz sound…and just down it!  Then I always had to have another one in the morning when I woke up. Before practice I had one too and before games I would knock back two.”

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October 27th, 2009

Fad diets come and go, but every now and again you hear about one that is so absurd, it’s hard not to laugh.

Enter the sugar addict’s dream; Dr. Siegal’s Cookie Diet.

You read me right; for $56 a week, you get to eat six cookies a day and one ‘real’ meal that brings your total consumption for the day up to no more than 1,000 calories. Yes, if you would like to starve yourself and enjoy some delicious cookies while you do it, the Cookie Diet is what you’ve always been waiting for.

The New York Times reports that, according to Dr. Siegel, about 500,000 people have lost weight using his technique. As you might predict, business is booming, “He expects 2009 revenues to be $18 million, up from $12 million in 2008, thanks in part to endorsements from celebrities like Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Hudson and Kelly Clarkson.”

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October 26th, 2009

I recently discussed the need to take personal responsibility in maintaining your health. I believe that no matter how poor or disadvantaged you may be, you always have the opportunity to take control of your life. If you are determined to be healthy, nothing will stand in your way.

This video highlights Debra, a mother from Harlem, who is living proof of this philosophy. Debra’s daughter experienced trouble growing because of the food she was eating. After learning about proper nutrition and providing it for her daughter, Debra decided not to stop there. This social worker looked around her building and saw several other children with similar challenges. So, each day, she feeds 12 hungry kids on a very limited income.

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October 26th, 2009

I can’t have just one cookie. Before I kicked sugar January 12th, 2006, if I had one cookie, I would eat the whole box. Then, I would drive to the grocery store to buy some ice cream. On the way there, I would stop at Taco Bell and on the way home I would stop at Wendy’s. In short, I’m a sugar addict.

With the obesity crisis we face in this country, it’s amazing that anyone could be skeptical about our ability to become addicted to food. Americans often times don’t use common sense and frequently need scientists to tell them what to think before they believe anything. Luckily, scientists at the Scripps Research Institute in Jupiter, Florida are on the job.

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October 24th, 2009

Everyone knows sugar addiction and obesity is costing Americans billions, but every time that statement is made, it refers to the general population. Well, according to the Associated Press, obese people are starting to experience the real cost of their condition in dollars and cents.

“As the nation battles the obesity crisis, ambulance crews are trying to improve how they transport extremely heavy patients, who become significantly more difficult to move as they surpass 350 pounds. And caring for such patients is expensive, requiring costly equipment and extra workers, so some ambulance companies have started charging higher fees for especially overweight people.”

It can apparently cost up to two and a half times as much to transport obese patients. Between the additional workers involved and all of the expensive equipment (like the kind shown in the picture above), it adds up quick.

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October 23rd, 2009

Ok, so maybe “foodly” isn’t a real word, but my boy Elmer put me onto a great piece published by the New York Times that has some real advice about what to eat.

“Earlier this year, Michael Pollan posted a request for reader’s rules about eating on Well, Tara Parker Pope’s health blog. Within days, more than 2,500 responses were received…”

There are quite a few good ones, but my top three were:

1. From my Romanian grandmother: “Breakfast, you should eat alone. Lunch, you should share with a friend. Dinner, give to your enemy.” – Irina A. Dumitrescu

2. “You don’t get fat on food you pray over.” This is from a friend who points out that meals prepared at home, served at the table and given thanks for are more appreciated and more healthful than food eaten on the run. – Carol Jackson

3. Avoid snack foods with the “oh” sound in their names: Doritos, Fritos, Cheetos, Tostitos, Hostess Ho Hos, etc. – Donna David

Of course, I’d have to say #3 takes it for me, but that’s the one that most directly deals with sugar addiction.

Check out Pollan’s 17 other favorites and see which ones you might be able to start applying today.

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