20181031 SAVERS for HUMPDAY HALLOWEEN WEDNESDAY

SILENCE

Was silent for 60 seconds while trying to clear my thoughts.  Not an easy thing.

AFFIRMATIONS

1. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
2. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
3. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
4. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.

Also, said aloud for 60 seconds.

VISUALIZATION

175 by 12/10

EXERCISE

Did my full 30 day routine this morning

1. ankle/wrist circles 60
2. toe/finger stretches 60 + 10
3. bicycle crunches 60
4. shoulder rolls 60
5. inversion table 3 1-min sets
6. push-ups 60

Although I got approx 6 hours of sleep last night, I'm feeling sleepy now.  Maybe I can nap for a bit in a bit.

READING, WRITING

Read 60 seconds in SAPIENS.  The author, Yuval Noah Harari, launches into a discussion about the findings of ancient burial grounds (places) in Russia; apparently they've found the tombs of foragers who lived 30K years ago, and who buried their dead with strings of ivory & animal tooth beads.

(I am so very sleepy now.  I'm going to stop and take a nap.)

(close enough)

20181030 SAVERS for TUESDAY SQUAT DAY

SILENCE

Did it (tried it) for 60 seconds

AFFIRMATIONS

1. I, Ken Taylor, continue to lose weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
2. I, Ken Taylor, continue to lose weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
3. I, Ken Taylor, continue to lose weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
4. I, Ken Taylor, continue to lose weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.

Also, said aloud for 60 seconds.

VISUALIZATION

175 by 12/10

We shall see!

EXERCISE

I did my full 30 day routine - with minimal time delay between sets.

1. ankle/wrist circles 60
2. toe/finger stretches 60 + 10
3. bicycle crunches 60
4. shoulder rolls 60
5. inversion table 3 1-min sets
6. squats 60

YAY

READING, WRITING

Read 60 seconds in SAPIENS.

The author, Yuval Noah Harari, again states that we don't know much for sure about the foratgers of 30K years ago, and we can only speculate that they had some form of religious or spiritual aspects.  We don't know what kind of stories they told, and so we can't really know for sure what they believed supernaturally.  The artwork is simply not enough to draw conclusions.

Ainsi soit-il.

I'm going to move forward with my day, in the interest of time.

20181029 SAVERS for MONDAY

SILENCE

Up late, hurrying a bit thru my routine.  Forgot the silence bit.  Leaf blower raging outside my window.  Still trying to silence my brain for 60 seconds.

Tried it.  Blocked out the sounds, but my thoughts were not so easily controlled.

AFFIRMATIONS

1. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
2. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
3. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
4. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.

Also, said aloud 60 minutes.

VISUALIZATION

175 by 12/10

EXERCISE

Did my full 30 day routine (after taking 2 days off due to illness)

1. ankle/wrist circles 60
2. toe/finger stretches 60 + 10
3. bicycle crunches 60
4. shoulder rolls 60
5. inversion table 3 1-min sets
6. push-ups 60

Did 'em - YAY!!

READING, WRITING

Read 60 seconds in SAPIENS.

The author, Yuval Noah Harari, lists the theists of history as follows:

1. Jewish rabbis from 18th century Poland
2. Witch burning Puritans from 17th century Massachusetts
3. Aztec priests from 15th century Mexico
4. Sufi mystics from 12th century Iran
5. Viking warriors from the 10th century
6. Roman legionnaires from the 2nd century
7. Chinese bureaucrats from the 1st century

He speculates that the early foragers likely had just as wide a spectrum of beliefs as the more modern groups listed above had.  But he quickly adds that it's "highly speculative" to rely on these "cautious generalizations" as he puts it.

Well, all you have to do to resolve this dilemma is to claim that the earth is only 6,000 years old.  Then we don't have to deal with what the foragers felt or believed.

HA!

Think again, modern-day theists.  Or rather, THINK (in some cases, for the first time).

20181028 SAVERS AGAIN NOT SAVED for SUNDAY

I guess I needed a day of rest after a day in bed (!)

I didn't even THINK about the elements of my routine, except that I thought about how bad I felt about "not SAVINGS" for yet another day.

Chrissy had brought me chicken soup, ginger ale, and crackers.  PERFECT!  I felt better Sunday morning, and I was almost "cured" of all the ailments I had Saturday!

Still, I didn't do my routine.  I poked around the house a bit, took a shower, and it was decided that we'd go to a movie.  Elliot and I saw "Goosebumps 2" and Joe, Chrissy and Ethan saw "First Man."

(Ada and Elliot had gone to visit their Grandma Patty in Heber on Saturday night.)

All's well that end's well?  Maybe.  But my weekend in Utah, marred by illness and the consequent inability to help Joe at Red Hat, nevertheless ended well.

20181027 SAVERS NOT SAVED ON SATURDAY

Didn't sleep all night (chez Joe & Chrissy, in Ada's bed).

Had flu symptoms (achy bones, nausea, slight diahrriah, stuffy nose, headache)

Stayed home, in bed (on the sofa) all day.

DARN!

20181026 SAVERS for FRIDAY PUSH-UPS DAY

SILENCE

Tried to silence brain for 60 seconds.  Keep trying.

AFFIRMATIONS

1. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
2. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
3. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
4. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.

Also, said aloud 60 seconds.

VISUALIZATION

175 by 12/10

We'll see how much I weigh this morning:  _______________

EXERCISE

Did my full 30 day routine:

1. ankle/wrist circles 60
2. toe/finger stretches 60 + 10
3. bicycle crunches 60
4. shoulder rolls 60
5. inversion table 3 1-min sets
6. push-ups 60

(YAY)

READING, WRITING

Read 60 seconds in SAPIENS.  The author, Yuval Noah Harari, says 

(quoting this time)

"Animism is not a specific religion.  It is a generic name for thousands of very different religions, cults and beliefs.  What makes all of them "animist" is this common approach to the world and to man's place in it.  Saying that ancient foragers were probably animists is like saying that premodern agriculturalists were mostly theists.  

"Theism (from theos, "god" in Greek) is the view that the universal order is based on a heirarchical relationship between humans and a small group of etheral entities called gods.

It is certainly true that premodern agriculturalists tended to be theists, but it does not teach us much about the particulars.  The generic rubric "theist" covers

• Jewish rabbis
• witch-burning Puritans
• alskjf;alskdjf

(to be continued)

20181025 SAVERS for THURSDAY SQUAT DAY

SILENCE

Tried to silence my crazy brain for 60 seconds.

AFFIRMATIONS

1. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
2. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
3. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
4. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.

Also, said aloud 60 seconds.

VISUALIZATION

175 by 12/10

1st weighing (upon arising):  183.2  (did not gain from yesterday!)

2nd weighing (after SAVERS, before breakfast):  182.6  That's the lowest weight I've been in a LONG LONG LONG time!!

EXERCISE

Did my full 30 day routine this morning:

1. ankle/wrist circles 60
2. toe/finger stretches 60 + 10
3. bicycle crunches 60
4. shoulder rolls 60
5. inversion table 3 1-min sets
6. squats 60

(YAY)

READING, WRITING

Read 60 seconds in SAPIENS.  The author (Yuval Noah Harari) discusses the early notions of who we and our fellow beings (other Sapiens, animals, plants, minerals) are, and how we interact.  He speculates that people back then believed that there was no distinction between sapiens and other beings, and that we communicate with them at will.  A hunter might talk to a deer he's about to kill, etc.

This all seems speculative to me.  I'm not sure how we can know it for sure.  But still, there is evidence, as the time spectrum of our history "moves forward," that at various times, sapiens believed in supernatural entities, and interacted with them along with the actual beings with whom they lived.

I'd like to move on from this discussion (i.e., move on from "animation") and investigate the more recent - and more sure - aspects of our evolution.

20181024 SAVERS for HUMPDAY WEDNESDAY

SILENCE

Tried again today for 60 seconds.

AFFIRMATIONS

1. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
2. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
3. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
4. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
5. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.

Also, said aloud for 60 seconds.

VISUALIZATION

175 by 12/10

Eager to weigh myself this morning...... ??!!

(Added later:  For the first time in a VERY LONG TIME, I weigh LESS than 184!!
The scale shows 183.2!!!)

EXERCISE

Did my full 30 day routine this morning, push=ups with a bit less struggle than on all earlier days.

1. ankle/wrist circles 60
2. finger/toe stretches 60 + 10
3. bicycle crunches 60
4. shoulder rolls 60
5. inversion table 3 1-min sets
6. push-ups 60

READING, WRITING

Read 60 seconds in SAPIENS.

The author further expounds (redundant?) on how foragers in earlier times believed that all things (rocks, trees, rivers, animals) were ANIMATED by an unseen spirit.  Further, they also believed that there were spirits/ghosts of the dead on earth.  And that gave rise to faeries, and the like.

Hmmm.  So "faeries" are the result of the mysterious beliefs of ancient sapiens?

Seems quite a stretch.  But then I have no alternative explanation for the way things are, and so will generally rely on the expertise of anthropologists, sociologists, and authors who have done MUCH more research and thinking than I have.

20181023 SAVERS FOR TUESDAY

SILENCE

Did 60 second attempt to empty thoughts.

AFFIRMATIONS

1. I, Ken Taylor, continue to lose weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
2. I, Ken Taylor, continue to lose weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
3. I, Ken Taylor, continue to lose weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
4. I, Ken Taylor, continue to lose weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.

Also, said aloud 60 seconds.

VISUALIZATION

175 by 12/10

EXERCISE

Did my full 30 day routine for squat day

1. ankle/wrist circles 60
2. toe/finger stretches 60 + 10
3. bicycle crunches 60
4. shoulder rolls 60
5. inversion table 3 1-min sets
6. squats 60

READING, WRITING

Read 60 seconds in SAPIENS

The author, Yuval Noah Harari, says that when we consider the spiritual aspects of early sapiens (i.e., foragers, or hunter-gatherers, living 60K years ago), we can look at the physical aspects and guess accurately what they were like.  But when it comes to spiritual, we are guessing more.

Animation = animal.  So the SPIRIT that fuels the BODY is somehow connected to ANIMALS?  He also says that most scientists agree that early man believed in the spiritual identity of all things (humans, animals, plants, minerals).

It reminds me of thinking, years ago, that Joseph Smith stated that all living things had a spiritual creation in an earlier life.  I extended it to minerals, and speculated that minerals were lower forms of life that were merely here to obey the laws of Nature/God.  As you move across the spectrum of "things," there were given more and more responsibilities to the entities/elements.  And so when you arrive at humans, you have the most possible responsibilities given to earthly creation.

Who knows if that's right?  I think only the creator can know, since we don't hear from the creator in clear language.  So we have to guess.

20181022 SAVERS on MONDAY

SILENCE

Lay in bed, emptied thoughts at least 10 times, for 60 seconds.

AFFIRMATIONS

1. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
2. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
3. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
4. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.

Also, said aloud for 60 seconds.

VISUALIZATION

175 by 12/10

EXERCISE

I did my full 30 day routine this morning.

1. ankle/wrist circles 60
2. toe/finger stretches 60 + 10
3. bicycle crunches 60
4. shoulder rolls 60
5. inversion table 3 1-min sets
6. push-ups 60

I did it!  YAY!!!

READING, WRITING

Read 60 seconds in SAPIENS.

The author discusses a society - the Ache' - in South America, who did not have any family structure, killed off their sick infants and elderly (with abhorrence, however), were hunted by other bands..... but otherwise had a happy life as a band of Sapiens.

Reflections on my 2-day trip to Montreal for my BHS 50th reunion:

I was both sad and happy at various times throughout the weekend.

Happy at hearing the band & seeing others perform.

Happy about the BHS grad Dr. Dave Williams (?) who later became a doctor & an astronaut.

Sad about my "hotel" room - it was a freezing cabin in the woods.  Until I learned how to turn on the heat.

Sad about not remembering some of the people in my class.

Sad about being "excluded" at our lunch on Saturday.

Happy about being able to visit the boys' locker room, where I have a few visual memories.

Sad that there was so very little mention or remembrance of John Whitman.

Sad that a few of my friends weren't there.

Happy I met the current owners of the house we lived in.

What else?

Sad about the border officials who could not have been more distant, grumpy, almost mean.

Sad about the altercation (of sorts) between me an another passenger on the plane - my seat knocked his glass over.

Sad that Hertz tried to charge me TRIPLE the quote I got before I left.  Now I'll have to sort that out.

Happy I was only there for 2 days (i.e., in Montreal)

Happy to go home.

Fin

20181021 SAVERS CATCH-UP on SUNDAY in BEACONSFIELD

Catching up:

For SATURDAY

SILENCE

Kept quiet for 60 seconds

AFFIRMATIONS

1. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
2. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
3. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
4. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.

Also, said aloud 60 seconds.

VISUALIZATION

175 by 12/10

Can't weigh myself here at hotel in Beaconsfield.

EXERCISE

Did my full 30 day routine:

1. ankle/wrist circles 60
2. finger/toe stretches 60 + 10
3. bicycle crunches 60
4. (can't do back stretches)
5. shoulder rolls 60
6. squats 60

READING, WRITING

Read 60 seconds in ROCK 'N RADIO by Ian Howarth

Ian talks about the birth of rock & roll/Top 40 radio programs & how it helped launch careers of the time, in the US and Canada.

This is a whole world apart from me.  I "missed out" of this kind of cultural component in my life due to my insistence on being "more Mormon" than even my Mormon friends.  And so it went.

*********

And now, SUNDAY

SILENCE

Went back to bed & "woke up" again.

Silenced my brain for 60 seconds

AFFIRMATIONS

1. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
2. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
3. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
4. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.

Also, said aloud for 60 seconds.

VISUALIZATION

175 by 12/10

Can't weigh myself here in Beaconsfield hotel, so it's 18X.X for now.

EXERCISE

Did full 30 day exercise for a Sunday:

1. ankle/wrist circles 60
2. finger/toe stretches 60 + 10
3. bicycle crunches 60
4. couldn't do back stretches
5. shoulder rolls 60
6. squats 30
7. push-ups 30

READING, WRITING

Read 60 seconds in ROCK 'N RADIO by Ian Howarth

And now to write.

I have so many mixed feelings at the end of this 2-say BHS Reunion weekend.  It was both disappointing and amazingly good.  I know I need to let people know how it went, and that will be a challenge, since I change from almost moment to moment about whether I'm even glad I came to it.

It's cold.  People didn't remember me all that much, although some did.  Some were not my friends, but befriended me this weekend more than I would have expected.

More later.

(at least I caught up with my routines for the weekend)

20181019 (DONE ON 20181020 for YESTERDAY) SAVERS for a FRIDAY

SILENCE

I lay in bed "early" this morning, here in Beaconsfield, PQ, Canada, and tried to silence my brain for 60 seconds.

AFFIRMATIONS

1. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
2. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
3. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
4. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.

Also, said aloud 60 seconds.

VISUALIZATION

175 by 12/10

I have no way of weighing myself on this trip, so I'll leave it blank for Friday (yesterday), Saturday (today) and Sunday (tomorrow).  

Based on eating "airport & airline food" I likely didn't lose too much weight.

But I'll keep the vigil going, and try to eat only healthy foods.

EXERCISE

(for Friday)

1. ankle/wrist circles 60
2. toe/finger stretches 60 + 10
3. bicycle crunches 60
4. shoulder rolls 60
5. (could not do inversion table; back stretch is impossible off the bed since it's too high)
6. push-ups 60

READING, WRITING

Read 60 seconds in Ian Howarth's  book ROCK 'N RADIO

I only got 1/2 page of the Introduction read.  I tried to absorb the message, but could not (as usual with almost any book) keep from wondering about how the author, Ian Howarth, got to where he is today, a published author.  I wondered why he chose certain words.  I thought about his being a Canadian, and, as is the tendency among our Northern Neighbors, to describe their heritage as "North Americans" or the land as "the US and Canada."

But what else could they do?  It makes total sense.  I value the time I spent here in the Montreal area because it opened my understanding to other's points of view & their life experiences.

O, Canada.

20181018 SAVERS for THURSDAY SQUAT DAY

SILENCE

I tried for 60 seconds.  I'll keep trying.

AFFIRMATIONS

1. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
2. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
3. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
4. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.

Also, read aloud for 60 seconds.

VISUALIZATION

175 by 12/10

EXERCISE

I did my full 30 day routine today:

1. ankle/wrist circles 60
2. toe/finger stretches 60 + 10
3. bicycle crunches 60
4. shoulder rolls 60
5. inversion table 3 1-min sets
6. squats 60

I feel fewer and fewer aches & joint pains, so this is paying off.

READING, WRITING

Read 60 seconds in SAPIENS.

The author describes frightening customs of a Paraguay tribe called Ache' who did not value unusual human life forms (old, funny looking, bald, etc.) so they would kill them.

Had I been born to a woman in that tribe, I might have survived based on looks, but what would the tribe members have thought of me when I showed my homosexual identity?  Who knows?

At any rate, I'm slowly "plowing" my way through this book, 60 seconds at a time.  It will take years, but I'll get through it.

I'm so glad I didn't stop my routine after 2 months.  But today is the only day I know I have.  Yesterday remains unchanged, tomorrow remains unlived.  (KRT)

20181017 SAVERS FOR WEDNESDAY

SILENCE
60 seconds - tried

AFFIRMATIONS

1. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
2. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
3. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
4. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.

VISUALIZATION

175 by 12/10

EXERCISE

Did full 30 day routine

1. ankle/wrist circles 60
2. toe/finger stretches 60 + 10
3. bicycle crunches 60
4. shoulder rolls 60
5. inversion table 3 1-min sets
6. push-ups 60

READING, WRITING

Read 60 seconds in SAPIENS

Amazingly, the author still writes as if he can tell exactly or very close to exactly how foragers lived in early sapiens history.  He uses "probably" enough, but we are meant to understand, I think, that he's got the picture pretty clear.

20181016 SAVERS for TUESDAY SQUAT DAY

SILENCE

I did 60 seconds of attempted silence & brain emptying.  Still not good at it, but I might be "incrementally improved" by now.

AFFIRMATIONS

1. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
2. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
3. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
4. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.

Also, said aloud 60 seconds.

VISUALIZATION

175 by 12/10

Still focused on another 2-month goal.

EXERCISE

Did my full 30 day routine:

1. ankle/wrist circles 60
2. toe/finger stretches 60 + 10
3. bicycle crunches 60
4. shoulder rolls 60
5. inversion table 3 1-min sets
6. squats 60

READING, WRITING

Read 60 seconds in SAPIENS

The author observes that hunter/gatherers (i.e., foragers) of our early history were less susceptible to disease since they ate a variety of foods, and lived in small bands, in contrast to peoples of the Agricultural Revolution, who became subject to living in dense, permanent housing, with several domesticated animals to supply food, and large crops which were vital, but also subject to disasters (droughts, earthquakes, etc.).  Also, there must have been fewer diseases in earlier times, since many of our epidemics only appeared after the Agricultural Revolution (e.g., tuberculosis, measles, etc.)

This all seems logical to me.

20181015 NO SAVERS TODAY - DIDN'T SLEEP ALMOST ALL NIGHT

I didn't do any SAVERS or ROUTINE this morning, since I went to sleep after 11 pm, woke up at 2 am (approx) and didn't sleep again AT ALL, all day long.  It was my early flight back to LA, and the LYFT driver arrived at 4 am.

So this was a day off for me.  I feel okay since it is thus far, the ONLY "day off" I've had since August 10:  over 2 months.

YAY for that, anyway.

20181014 SAVERS on SUNDAY

SILENCE

Tried again today, but it was so hard to keep emptying my thoughts out for 60 seconds.

AFFIRMATIONS

1. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
2. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.

I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exerankcise and eating healthy food.

1. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.

ALSO, said aloud for 60 seconds

VISUALIZATION

175 by 12/10

Adjusting my mantra to the new goal; it'll happen IF/WHEN I focus on 175 and 12/10.

Today, I weighed 186.2, largely due to eating with Joe & his cohort of Chinese students.

EXERCISE

Did my full 30 day routine for a Sunday:

1. ankle/wrist circles 60
2. toe/finger stretches 60 + 10
3. bicycle crunches 60
4. back stretch over edge of bed 1 3-min set
5. squats 30
6. push-ups 30

READING, WRITING

Read 60 seconds from the website exmormon.org, some of the compilation of quotes by now dead Mormon prophets on the subject of monogamy, and the evils thereof.

Brigham Young had a lot to say about it, since he had 50+ wives, and sought to justify it based on obvious speculations about social humankind.

I think it's right in that adults should be able to choose the person/people with whom they have sex.  But it's beyond "wrong" to think of women as "possessions" over which men can "fight" as the early Mormon leaders often did.

IMO, polygamy was simply a way for Joseph Smith to seek to legitimize his womanizing.

Now, Creator-God, if I'm wrong, please correct me however you can.

20181013 SAVERS in AMERICAN FORK on SATURDAY SQUAT DAY

SILENCE

Did it for 60 seconds; while counting, I can't really be thinking of other things, so maybe that's the ticket.

AFFIRMATIONS

1. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
2. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
3. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
4. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.

Also, said aloud 60 seconds.

VISUALIZATION

175 by 12/10

EXERCISE

Did my full 30 day routine for a Saturday:

1. ankle/wrist circles 60
2. toe/finger stretches 60 + 10
3. bicycle crunches 60
4. shoulder rolls 60
5. back stretch over bed 1 3-min set
6. squats 60

READING, WRITING

I'm here in Ada's bedroom again; looking for a book

I found and read 60 seconds in a notebook (blank) that had been written in by Ada (I think).  She was writing a review of something she had read, titled "MATILDA."  Apparently, as the story goes, Matilda is a disadvantaged but very talented young girl, who gains favor in the sight of her teacher, but not her principal.  So she devises a plan to take advantage of the teacher's goodness, but avoid the principal's badness.  Smart girl!  

I don't think Ada is dealing with this situation; she was just practicing her book review & writing skills.  She's going to be 12 in February, and as such, is close to puberty.  I hope that will go as well as it can, that her parents are prepared, and that Ada's friends will be a support to her.

20181012 SAVERS for FRIDAY TRAVEL TO SLC DAY

SILENCE

Tried again - sorta did it for 60 seconds

AFFIRMATIONS

1. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
2. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
3. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
4. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
5. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.

Also, said aloud for 60 seconds.

VISUALIZATION

175 by 12/10

New, but I'm doin' it!

Today's weight:  185.4  (1 lb lower than yesterday)

EXERCISE

Did my full (YAY!) 30 day routine this morning:

1. ankle/wrist circles 60
2. toe/finger stretches 60 + 10
3. bicycle crunches 60
4. shoulder rolls 60
5. inversion table 3 1-min sets
6. push-ups 60

(YAY!)

READING, WRITING

Read 60 seconds in SAPIENS.

The author again asserts that the early sapiens foragers had superior diets to the later peasant Chinese who ate rice for almost every meal.  Foragers ate berries & mushrooms, rabbit and onions, etc.... and the next day's meals might have been "completely different" (although he does not specify what the next day's meals might have consisted of.

I suppose science has been able to determine MUCH more about early Sapiens and their lives than we knew for sure just a few decades ago.  But it still seems highly speculative, to me, for the author to go to these lengths.  His saving "loophole" is:  "might."

I won't be reading SAPIENS for the next few days, while I'm in Utah.  I'll leave the book home, and read whatever comes into my field on Saturday morning, Sunday morning, and Sunday evening.

******

I'm doing this next 60-day-goal step by step.  I'm motivated to do it, but I don't always feel the enthusiasm for it.  So when I don't feel it, I do it one step at a time.  This approach has gotten me through the first 2 days of the new 60-day-goal.

Keepin' on keepin' on.

201811011 SAVERS the FIRST in NEW 60 DAY GOAL PERIOD!!!

YAY - MY NEW MANTRA NUMBER:  60!!!!!!

I'm going to do ANOTHER 60 DAYS. 

ALL THE WAYS FOR 60 DAYS!!

10/11 - 12/10

SILENCE

Woke later in the morning, after being depressed & angry at God yesterday, and irregular sleep, and a headache at 5 am (for which I took 2 migraine pills), and now I've done my routine (thus far), and I feel MUCH BETTER...  we'll see.

But this is DAY 1 of 60.

Did 60 seconds of silence - or at least I tried to.

AFFIRMATIONS

1. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
2. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
3. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
4. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
5. I, Ken Taylor, continue losing weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.

Also, said aloud 60 seconds.

VISUALIZATION

175 by 12/10

NEW GOAL = 175 by 12/10

STARTING WEIGHT:  186.4  :(  But I'll lose 11 pounds - no sweat.

EXERCISE

Did my full 30 day exercise routine:

1. ankle/wrist circles 60
2. toe/finger stretches 60 + 10
3. bicycle crunches 60
4. shoulder rolls 60
5. inversion table 3 1-min sets
6. squats 60

Since my new goal is another 60 days, my new mantra number is 60.

READING, WRITING

Read 60 seconds in SAPIENS.

The author discusses the differences between foragers in China (50K years ago) and today's sweatshop/factory workers in China.... the early foragers were taller, healthier, and they lived longer.  He also implies that they had more interesting lives, since they worked fewer hours, and had more time for gossip.  The down side is that many died in infancy, or were bitten by snakes or eaten by tigers.

The inescapable fact is that WE evolved from THEM.  I don't see any reason to blame us, or them, outside of our ability to look back & try to improve our lives today.

Ainsi soit-il.

20181010 SAVERS ON WEDNESDAY 10/10

SILENCE

60 seconds

AFFIRMATIONS

1. I, Ken Taylor, lose weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
2. I, Ken Taylor, lose weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
3. I, Ken Taylor, lose weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
4. I, Ken Taylor, lose weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
5. I, Ken Taylor, lsoe weight through daily exer

VISUALIZATION

185 by TODAY!!

EXERCISE

Did full 30 day routine, including 60 push-ups!!

READING, WRITING

Will do this tonight.

20181009 SAVERS on TUESDAY SQUAT DAY

SILENCE

Did it better than in recent times:  60 seconds of silence

AFFIRMATIONS

1. I, Ken Taylor, lose weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
2. I, Ken Taylor, lose weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
3. I, Ken Taylor, lose weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
4. I, Ken Taylor, lose weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
5. I, Ken Taylor, lose weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.

Also, said aloud 60 seconds

VISUALIZATION

185 by 10/10 - TOMORROW!!!

We shall see, shalln't we?

EXERCISE

Did my full 30 day routine:

1. ankle/wrist circles 60
2. toe/finger stretches 60 + 10
3. bicycle crunches 60
4. shoulder rolls 60
5. inversion table 3 1-min sets
6. squats 60

YAY!

READING, WRITING

Read 60 seconds in SAPIENS.

The author describes the foragers of early human times as leading a much simpler life than ours - working far less than 40 hours a week (some today work 60, even 80 hours a week)..... since they had no modern stuff to care about & take care of.

Again, I don't know how he knows this.  Also, what "responsibility" does early man have for evolving into what we are today.  After all, we are constantly worrying & NOT worrying enough... about what kind of life & planet we're going to be leaving for future generations.

Who knows?

Qui sait?

Wer weiss?

20181008 SAVERS on MONDAY MORNING

SILENCE

Woke a bit later, and almost forgot to do silence, but I tried & did it, thinking of my "rotunda" which now has 10 doors (10 seconds)  and 6 levels (60 seconds).

AFFIRMATIONS

1. I, Ken Taylor, lose weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
2. I, Ken Taylor, lose weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
3. I, Ken Taylor, lose weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
4. I, Ken Taylor, lose weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
5. I, Ken Taylor, lose weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.

Also, said aloud 60 seconds.

VISUALIZATION

185 by 10/10

Although I went "off my diet" (I ate more fattening than healthy food chez Frommer/Brinkley on Saturday night, I only gained back about 1 1/2 pounds.  We'll see what I weigh this morning.

_______________

EXERCISE

I did my full 30 day routine this morning:

1. ankle/wrist circles 60
2. toe/finger stretches 60+10
3. bicycle crunches 60
4. inversion table 3 1-min sets
5. push-ups 60

READING, WRITING

Read 60 seconds in SAPIENS.

The author observes that early Sapiens survived with a greater set of skills than modern man has; perhaps our brains are actually SMALLER, not larger, than the early foragers' brains, since

THEY had to know much more on an individual basis about how to survive, while

WE can specialize on a tiny fraction of knowledge/skills, while relying on others to provide for us.

The example that comes to my mind is:  An electrical engineer knows a TON more than early man about his/her field, but perhaps know almost nothing about farming, which provides the food that keeps him alive.

20181007 SAVERS for SUNDAY the SEVENTH

SILENCE

Tried again today - it was more difficult to imagine an empty brain, but I still tried.

AFFIRMATIONS

1. I, Ken Taylor, lose weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
2. I, Ken Taylor, lose weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
3. I, Ken Taylor, lose weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
4. I, Ken Taylor, lose weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
5. I, Ken Taylor, lose weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.

Also, said aloud for 60 seconds.

VISUALIZATION

185 by 10/10

We'll see how I did, eating a hot dog for lunch, and then dinner & dessert chez Frommer/Brinkley.

_____________

EXERCISE

Got up later (after the big M) and started my routine:

1. ankle/wrist circles 60
2. toe/finger stretches 60 + 10
3. bicycle crunches 60
4. shoulder rolls 60
5. inversion table 3 1-min sets
6. push-ups 30
7. squats 30

YAY!

READING, WRITING

Read 60 seconds in SAPIENS.

The author says that early Sapiens bands foraged for food, but also for knowledge.  They were able to learn about plants, animals and minerals and the habits/properties of each, over a long period of practicing the skills they needed.

I'm going to write automatically now.

It seems that when I lie in bed of a morn, and try to empty my brain of any thoughts except of trying to do it, it's near impossible.

But when I want to consider something to write about (like now), my mind will go blanker than before.

Strange, but that's how I'm made.  And maybe others are too.

Oh well, and *sigh.*

20181006 SAVERS for SQUAT SATURDAY

SILENCE

Tried it again for 60 seconds.  No noticeable improvement.

AFFIRMATIONS

1. I, Ken Taylor, lose weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
2. I, Ken Taylor, lose weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
3. I, Ken Taylor, lose weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
4. I, Ken Taylor, lose weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
5. I, Ken Taylor, lose weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.

Also, said aloud for 60 seconds.

VISUALIZATION

184 by 10/10

Although yesterday's weight was actually 185.0, I'm still continuing my routine & plan to be SOLIDLY at 185 by 10/10.

ADDED NOTE:  OMG, OMG, OMG!!!
I weighed myself about 10 times this morning because I couldn't believe the number:

184.6

AMAZING!!!!!!!

EXERCISE

Did my full 30-day routine for a squat day.

1. ankle/wrist circles 60
2. toe/finger stretches 60 + 10
3. bicycle crunches 60
4. shoulder rolls 60
5. inversion table 3 1-min sets
6. squats 60

READING, WRITING

Read 60 seconds in SAPIENS

The author says that bands of Sapiens of 45K years ago likely stayed put unless there occurred some calamitous event such as an act of Nature or an invasion from another band.  So migrations to other places were not the norm, and when they DID move, they didn't move very far away.  So at that "rate," migrations from East Africa to China would have taken 10,000 years.

I'm imagining what it was like to be alive 45K years ago, IF (and even this author can't say for sure) we looked like we do now, we had little or no knowledge about the planet except for our immediate surroundings, there were abundant resources of food and game, we stuck to our own people......

Qui sait?

Additional writing:

Yesterday I reached by goal of 185 by 10/10.  It was 185.0  YAY!

But I had an incident with Dr. Pruitt that made me so very angry and down.  That was followed by the almost certain seating of Brett K. on the Supreme Court, an eventuality that makes me both frustrated and sad.

Things should NOT be going like this.

I should be working with David.

I should NOT be working with Dr. Pruitt.

I should be enjoying my later years.

WHY is all this continuing/not happening for me???????????

It's so CRUEL to give me such a tease, and then ignore me.

I've never HATED a presidency & congress as much as I hate this one.

So what's GOOD about my life?

1. I'm at 185, my goal for 10/10, and I'm there on 10/5 (5 days early)
2. I have enough money to pay my bills.
3. Both my kids are doing relatively well relationship- & money-wise.
4. I have George in my life.
5. I have a lot of good friends.
6. Our country is still, as far as I can tell, a democracy, and we can still vote Trump OUT.

20181005 SAVERS for FRIDAY PUSH-UP DAY

SILENCE

Tried to silence my brain for 60 seconds, but it was not easy.  Still, I tried.

AFFIRMATIONS

1. I, Ken Taylor, lose weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
2. I, Ken Taylor, lose weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
3. I, Ken Taylor, lose weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
4. I, Ken Taylor, lose weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
5. I, Ken Taylor, lose weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.

Also, said aloud for 60 seconds

VISUALIZATION

185 by 10/10

I've reached the visualized goal, but I want to go BELOW 185, so that I can fluctuate a bit while STAYING at (or around) 185.

EXERCISE

I did my full 30 day routine:

1. ankle/wrist circles 60
2. toe/finger stretches 60 + 10
3. bicycle crunches 60
4. shoulder rolls 60
5. inversion table 3 1-min sets
6. push-ups 60

YAY!

READING, WRITING

Read 60 seconds in SAPIENS.

The author describes how early Homo Sapiens lived in relatively small groups, and did not show much connection to those outside the groups, except for trading of non-necessities (shells, etc).  Some could go months or years and never connect with others outside their group.

This was in contrast to other Human Species who did not even form groups.

It's quite amazing to me that we can tell this (and more to come) from our 21st Century vantage point.

Some (i.e., religious people) would say he's got it wrong.  I hope some day we'll find out for sure.

20181004 SAVERS for THURSDAY SQUAT DAY

SILENCE

Counted to 60 while pushing out thoughts.  Maybe a bit more successful today.

AFFIRMATIONS

1. I, Ken Taylor, lose weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
2. I, Ken Taylor, lose weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
3. I, Ken Taylor, lose weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
4. I, Ken Taylor, lose weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
5. I, Ken Taylor, lose weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.

Also, said aloud for 60 seconds.

VISUALIZATION

185 by 10/10

I'm doubtful I'll still be at or about 185, but we shall see.  6 more days till goal.

EXERCISE

I did my full 30 day routine:

1. ankle/wrist circles 60
2. finger/toe stretches 60 + 10
3. bicycle crunches 60
4. shoulder rolls 60
5. inversion table 3 1-min sets
6. squats 60

YAY!

READING, WRITING

Read 60 seconds in SAPIENS.  The author speculates that early humans and early dogs began a bonding process that has lasted 15,000 (?) years.  Dogs became source of comfort, of warning, and I forget what all else (even though I just read it).

The author didn't say "man's best friend" but I thought it as I read.  I suppose that human + dog IS, in fact, a far stronger relationship than human + any other animal.

20181003 SAVERS on HUMPDAY/WEDNESDAY

SILENCE

Lay in bed, tried to silence my brain for 60 seconds.  Does counting to 60, 10 seconds on each finger, 6 fingers count?  I suppose, since it's relatively automatic by now.  I've trained my brain & fingers to approximate 60 seconds.

AFFIRMATIONS

1. I, Ken Taylor, lose weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
2. I, Ken Taylor, lose weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
3. I, Ken Taylor, lose weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
4. I, Ken Taylor, lose weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
5. I, Ken Taylor, lose weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.

Also, said aloud for 60 seconds.

VISUALIZATION

185 by 10/10

I'm hoping I'll be AT OR BELOW 185 this morning.  We shall see:

________________________

EXERCISE

Did my full 30 day routine this morning:

1. ankle/wrist circles 60
2. toe/finger stretches 60 + 10
3. bicycle crunches 60
4. shoulder rolls 60
5. inversion table 3 1-min sets
6. push-ups 60

READING, WRITING

Read for 60 seconds in SAPIENS.

The author (Harari) notes, in introducing the idea that there were "affluent" groups even 30K years ago, that early social groups had MANY MORE members than humans.  Example:  New Zealand has 5 million people, but 50 million sheep.  The exception to this is the dog:  Canines were domesticated sometime soon after the Agricultural Revolution.

(The truth is, I don't recall what the author said about this; only that he made a point of saying that the dog was the exception to the "rule" of something or other.  Oh well.)

20181002 SAVERS for TUESDAY

SILENCE

Tried; didn't quite do it.  Will keep trying to silence my brain for 60 seconds every day.

AFFIRMATIONS

1. I, Ken Taylor, lose weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
2. I, Ken Taylor, lose weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
3. I, Ken Taylor, lose weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
4. I, Ken Taylor, lose weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.
5. I, Ken Taylor, lose weight through daily exercise and eating healthy food.

Also, read aloud for 60 seconds.

VISUALIZATION

185 by 10/10

EXERCISE

Did my full 30 day routine for Thursday squat day

1. ankle/wrist circles 60
2. toe/finger stretches 60 + 10
3. bicycle crunches 60
4. shoulder rolls 60
5. inversion table 3 1-min sets
6. squats 60

YAY!

READING, WRITING

Read 60 seconds in SAPIENS

Author notes that societies of 30K years ago could well have had distinct difference among themselves For example, all were foragers, but some might have embraced a nuclear family while neighboring bands might have been tribal/alpha male - led groups.  Once could have believed in the "god of wood" while another only used wood to make weapons of combat.

Who knows?

I'm glad to embrace these ideas and to write about them.

I have a few more minutes until my 30 min foot soak is over, so I'll write a bit.

Hmmm, I guess it's not easy to just fill in a few minutes here and there.  But I have to admit, it's better, and has been better, over the last almost 60 days (August 10 - October 10) to fit in a bit here and a bit there.  I'm a bit better writer for writing a bit more than before.

And who knows?  Maybe it'll blossom tomorrow into something meaningful.  And maybe even something of interest to my family and/or others.

I'm hellbent on making sure my spelling & punctuation are correct.  But maybe I'll eventually go beyond that and write something of merit.